Consider All Options
by Infatuated-Simplicity
Summary: When a concerned Naruto approaches him to ask for his help with Sakura's love life, Neji is happy to do so. It might not be in the way Naruto is expecting but perhaps next time he will choose his words more wisely. NejixSakura. Not canon compliant.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: So the only change here is that *spoiler* Neji doesn't die; Sakura manages to save him. Everything else basically remains the same. They are a little older here, possibly a couple years have passed since the war. This is NOT a one shot. I know! I envision about 3-5 chapters in this series. In any case I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer:I do know own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

 _"Dont you dare die on me, Neji-san." The words echoed in his ears as the smell of scorched earth and death filled his gasping lungs with the putrid stench of war. The sense of invading chakra struck his system and with as far gone as he was he did not have the where with all to object._

 _"It is not your time yet." His blurry vision only barely registered the petal pink and emerald green in an otherwise abysmal setting. But he did register it and clung to it like a beckon. She had him in her capable hands. He had stepped into that attack knowing he would perish but it had yet to happen. Perhaps he might yet survive. With her at his side he could be saved._

 _Her voice cracked with emotion as her figure came into focus. "Stay with me."_

* * *

"Neji-san," Her voice called to him, reprimanding but concerned as well. He knew that voice. He inhaled deeply. Apples and vanilla. He opened his eyes to the blinding florescent light of the hospital. Cringing, he turned to find pink and green swim into his vision. That was better. His features relaxed as her chakra laden hands retreated from his skin.

The ANBU captain opened his eyes completely. As odd as it sounded he did not like to open his eyes post black out unless he knew she was the first thing he would see. It reassured him. If he saw her then he knew that everything was alright. Her bright colors stood out against the monotoned world they were surrounded in and in this setting he was allowed to stare at her unabashedly without anyone questioning it. "You really must stop making this such a habit." She was still leaning over him as she gently teased him. When he moved to sit up she helped and he let her scent of freshly cut apples and vanilla waft over him.

"Hn." He knew a lecture was coming but he could not bring himself to care. Not when she was this close to him. She was right. He had been over exerting himself these last few missions. He had ended up on a hospital bed more than twice in the last six months and that was practically unheard of.

His hand twitched and she took it in one of her own. The size difference was drastic but he suspected that if he shifted his palm the deceptively delicate appendage would fit snugly in his own. He wanted to push his calloused fingertips across her knuckles to see if the skin there was as soft as he suspected it was. "Seriously Neji-san, try to be more careful please. I don't want to see you hurt."

"I will do my best," he promised ardently. He did not like to disappoint her and if a word of reassurance was all it took to bring the smile back to her face he would happily promise her the world if that was what she wanted. As it stood what she asked was simple enough.

"Thank you," she said with a smile that was warm and welcoming. "So, how are you feeling? Light headed?" Her free hand brushed across his forehead where his bandages must have remained, for he did not get to feel the touch of her skin on his. He was more comfortable with having his curse seal showing now than he had been in the past, but she knew it was something he rarely wore uncovered. Having assessed that his injuries were not cranial she had left his bandages in place.

She already knew the answer to her question, but he had learned many years before that everything she asked after one of her patients was unconscious had to do with her assessment of their health. It was a curtsey to him that she was being so tender about it. She had an excellent bedside manner but she was usually more formal with other patients, unless they were a part of her immediate circle. Even certain members of the Konoha 12 were not treated with such gentility. "Yes," he responded calmly after thinking it over, doing his best to assist her in his own care.

"Well, I'm not surprised. I'm amazed you made it to the gate to be honest." Her countenance lightened as she noted how attentive he was being to her. He made it a point to pay attention to her when she spoke, even when she spoke concerning topics he would normally consider mundane. Nothing she said was mundane in his mind, and he used every opportunity to reiterate that he found her to be important, a fact that she had picked up on at some point in their exchanges. Knowing Sakura, he highly suspected that she thought it a professional curtsy; it was not. "When things stop spinning you can head home, slowly. Hanabi-chan is waiting to take you home. And please take it easy for the next few days. You need to be in tip top shape for Naruto and Hinata's house warming party."

He had not forgotten about that but he had suspected that he would miss it as his mission dragged on. The pair had bought their first home together after having lived in a tiny apartment for a year after their marriage, as there was no way Hiashi and Naruto would have survived living together at the compound. It was part of the reason Neji had rushed his mission and had ended up needing her care. He had wanted to be back well before the event. Hinata was so excited and he hated to let them down. "Indeed."

"Now-" She began but was quickly cut short by a sharp rap on the door. Sakura turned her gaze and straightened her stance, picking up his chart as she did so. Through the small window on the door was a nurse who upon seeing Sakura's face opened the door.

"Sakura-sama you have a visitor."

The Uchiha stepped around the nurse, who's face was bright red, to stare at Sakura. The petite woman let out a small exacerbated sigh before scribbling a couple of notes into a file that she had acquired. Neji missed her touch on his hand when she released it to grab a pen. Her pen came down onto the paper in a hard point before she snapped the folder closed and turned to the intruder with a hand on her hip. "I am busy Sasuke-kun."

Dark eyes flitted to the examination table and landed on Neji. With a glare the two prodigies squared off. They had never really liked each other and in spite of the war things had not changed much. Neither stayed in the others presence if it could be avoided. The last Uchiha seemed content to ignore the Hyuuga and Neji was happy to avoid Sasuke. Sadly it meant that when Sasuke was in town he did not get to see the rest of Team 7 much, and that meant that he did not get to see her.

He was not much of one for social affairs but he made an effort to see Sakura when he could. He could not pin point when it had begun exactly, this keen interest in her, but it was there now. If he was honest it could have been any number of interactions that ignighted his initial interest, but after the war and his subsequent recovery under her direct care, he recognised that it was more than just a passing fancy. Based on what he had heard he believed that he was experiencing unrequited love. Rather, it was unexpressed, but the reason for that lack of expression was the impatient man that was casually leaning against the door frame.

Sakura huffed quietly. "You can't be back here. I will be out in a moment, so go wait in reception."

Her command, which had been veiled in a calm and sweet voice, was met with silence, a clear sign that she was not going to be heeded. She ran a hand through her pink tresses and then placed it on his shoulder. "Sorry Neji-san. I'll do one last check just to be sure and then I'll get him out of your hair." Her hand glowed green and he felt the comforting presence of her chakra in his system. Most said the feel of another chakra in their veins was uncomfortable and normally he would agree, but she was the exception. He rather liked it. There were those who might imply that the scars on his person had something to do with it. He was sure it did. She had saved him from the brink of death, closing the wounds that marred his flesh with her expertise. That action had initially caused him to fume, when he eventually came to. She had taken that choice away from him, but then he had seen how his family reacted to almost loosing him and he had changed his mind. They had been frightened and then relieved to see him still alive. His uncle had even shed tears and now Neji knew how much he meant to them.

When all was said and done he had thanked her and found that an unyielding respect and trust had come from it. That had been a few years ago now and he was more enamoured than he had ever been. The feeling only seemed to compound upon itself with each time he interacted with her. He had never told her how far it went but he suspected that she knew he favored her. He did go out of his way to be around her when presented with the opportunity. She liked him and they got along surprisingly well, but he had never broached the subject. Nor did he intend to, at least not until she gave him a sign that she would be receptive.

Neji did his best not to scowl at the unwanted presence at his hospital door. This was all because that man could not get his act together. The Uchiha had been dragging his feet, leading Sakura along without making a decision one way or the other for years now. The pair had some sort of unspoken understanding according to Naruto, that when the time was right- when Sasuke was ready- they would be together. Neji wanted Sakura to be happy and if that happiness was to be found with the Uchiha then so be it, but he was waiting should the other man turn out to be the idiot he knew him to be.

Sooner than he would have liked he felt her hand retreat. With an apologetic smile she moved to turn and he could not help but lean into the touch that lingered on his shoulder. He would have liked to read into such things, but he could not. She was a caring individual and she was comfortable with him. For now these little moments with her would have to do. She was not the kind of woman to react well to being actively pursued by an unwanted suitor, a fact he had witnessed time and time again. So he would wait as long as it took.

"See you Neji-san," she called to him over her her petite shoulder with a warm grin. She pointed to a line on his chart, a sign to the nurse who glanced over it, clearly dissapoited that the instruction said to release him immediately.

He took a few deep breaths before moving to get his things together. She had told him to move slowly, so he did, taking great care to asses his condition. As always he felt rejuvenated from having benefited from her care.

It was a shame that she was so enamoured with the Uchiha and that the stubbornly foolish man seemed to finally be doing something about the treasure that had been offered up to him so freely, and some might say undeservedly.

He found his younger cousin waiting not to far away, standing by the reception desk with her arms crossed over her chest in a manner that reminded him of his own preferred stance from when he was younger. She was not watching him but instead was focused on the pair that wandered out of the hospital doors. They were not particularly close together but that did not mean much. The Uchiha was not one to be physically close to anyone and that extended to Sakura.

Hanabi said nothing as he stood at her side. The chakra around her temples faded and she turned to him with a knowing stare. He knew what she had seen on his face and was thankful that she had chosen to say nothing about it. As it stood he was ready to go home and rest, and preferably not think about the Uchiha and Sakura out on the town together. Silently he took a step forward and they began to make their way home.

When he got to the estate he made a beeline for his room and promptly collapsed onto his futon.

* * *

He was not known to be a morning person. Everyone in the compound knew that Neji was not to be addressed until after a shower, his tea, and meditation. He liked to keep his morning routine, doubly so if he was recovering. Sakura had told him to take it easy and he was never one to disobey her direct medical orders. She was the expert in that field and he would trust her judgement.

He had used that as a valid excuse to sleep in that morning. He very rarely got the opportunity to do so and contrary to popular belief he did like to rest occasionally, he just needed a reason. Haruno Sakura's orders were to be strictly adhered to, or so his family had learned over the years. Therefore finding his uncle at his door before he had a chance to participate in any of the aforementioned activities made him very cross. The only thing that stopped him from glaring was the equally displeased look on his uncles haggard face.

"Please do something about this," the older man said and it was only then that he saw an excitable Naruto a few feet away, bouncing on his heals.

The hero turned and grinned. "Hey Neji, you wanna get a bite to eat?"

No, Neji did not want to get a bite to eat. He wanted to go back to sleep. But he could see behind the jovial greeting something anxious, and that was unlike Naruto. He knew from the deepening lines around his uncles thin mouth that the blonde man had somehow managed to make a nuisance of himself, most likely having interrupted Hiashi's equally coveted morning routine, and was now on the verge of having all of his chakra points closed.

So he took a long, deep breath and retreated for a moment. "I will be out presently." He needed to brush his teeth before he went anywhere but he would do so quickly lest he find his friend incapacitated on his return.

"Excellent." His uncles curt response was laced with a relief that only someone who knew him would catch but Naruto was oblivious to this and grinned. Had Neji been in a better mood he would have chuckled to himself. It was always entertaining to watch the two interact, but he hoped they got accustomed to each other soon. Otherwise his normally shy cousin would step in and no one wanted to see that. She could be surprisingly insistent when she needed to be and she had both men wrapped around her fingers. If such an interaction did occur he hoped he was there to witness it, if only to see his uncle bend to his daughter's will. But for now witnessing such awkward interactions would have to suffice.

* * *

The Hyuuga stare down was infamous, and his particularly vehement presence on this late morning might have made the elders quake in their boots. Such a shame they were not there to witness it. Perhaps it would have gotten them to leave him alone in the future.

It was cold and raining, but worse than that was the fact that he had exited the compound without his shower. After the sound of breaking china had caught his attention he rushed them both out, forgoing his cleanliness before anything else happened. His uncles prized teaware finding its way to the floor in pieces might have ended with his head on a spike.

He took a look at the man next to him and reminded himself that this was all going to be worth it. At least he really hoped so.

Neji was fully aware that there was a reason he had been called to the ramen stand this particular day. He was no overly fond of ramen but he always made it a point to go to the jinchurikis favourite food stall when asked. Since that day at the chunin exams Neji had been hard pressed to say no to the energetic blonde. He owed him too much. Thus no matter how tired or irritable he was, he put his best foot forward and set aside his plans for the day. It also helped that when Naruto was present Hinata usually was too and he did not see his cousin as much has he had become accustomed to. Of course Sakura could often be found with her best friend as well. But today neither female was in the vicinity.

If he was honest with himself he was somewhat glad that Sakura was not there, which to his mind was a first. He did not yet know how he felt about the Uchiha dragging her out of the hospital the day before and he was not sure if he wanted to deal with the jealously or disappointment that threatened to rampage within him just yet. He had planned to think it over during his meditation, possibly come up with a plan to discover what was going on, but that had all be derailed.

There was some solace in the fact that what ever it was that had Naruto seeking him out seemed to be important. The man was more nervous than he had ever seen him. Light brows were knit together in a strange mix of frustration and hesitation that seemed out of place on his old friend. It had continued on like that for a while as they walked down the streets of old Konoha, the more traditional side of town that housed the Hyuuga compound. As they travelled the weather reflected Naruto's mode, the sun shinning brightly and then the fat droplets of water hitting down on the pavement intermittently in random bursts.

By the time they got to Ichirakus they were both drenched and in a worse mood than they had been when they left the Hyuuga estate. Only when his noodles arrived did Naruto appear to feel marginally better. It was after the first few bites that he decided to broach the subject of whatever was bothering him.

"Sorry for dragging you out today, but I kind of need a favor." He was almost bashful, a stark change from his typical boisterous behaviour. Neji was now more than a little curious. He was fairly positive that whatever it was it had something to do with at least one of three people in the village. But which one? If he had to guess he would say Hinata, but the pair were married. Surely if it had to do with her then Naruto could talk about it with the woman in question.

Given the frustration on his face Neji was starting to think it was more likely to do with his teammates. They were the only ones that could cause him to make that face. More specifically Sasuke. Still, he would try to help Naruto even if it meant just giving advice, thought admittedly he was less than thrilled. It was the least he could do after all that the jinchurikki had done for him.

"You see, it's about Sasuke-teme." That was not really something Neji wanted to hear and if he could avoid getting involved with anything concerning Sasuke he would. The self-proclaimed avenger had a knack for starting trouble and Neji was not the sort for getting invovled in unnecessary drama. There were also many who suspected the truth; Neji could not stand the pompous individual, though most did not know why. "Actually is about Sasuke-teme and Sakura-chan."

Neji wanted to stop him right there.

He had a feeling he knew where this was going. If he did not want to get involved with a Sasuke problem, he definitely was not going to get involved with a romantic problem of the Uchiha's. Particularly not one to do with wooing Sakura. That was one of the few things he was not willing to do for the man before him. Under no circumstances would be be shoving Sakura towards a man that had been too stupid and too blind to see what was right under his nose all those years, nor was he going to assist in further enrapturing Sakura with her unworthy teammate.

Admittedly, it had taken Neji a little while to notice that his own admiration for the woman had grown into something more, but he liked to think that if she had been as open to him as she was to the Uchiha he would have reacted with a more appropriate response. As it stood Sakura had seemingly offered herself to the brooding asshole unconditionally. She had been willing to wait and had been waiting for quite a while, more than a few years in fact. Meanwhile the idiot wandered around the world searching for himself. Neji had scoffed more than once or twice at the notion.

What was there to find? What was out there to atone for that required his attention more than the atonement that Sakura deserved? He did not know all of what had transpired while the man was on his vengeful tirade, but the Uchiha had hurt Sakura more than anyone else he had claimed to care about in his pursuit of power and revenge. Surely that required his attention more urgently than the rest.

Neji put his noodles back into the bowl and turned to look at Naruto. He wanted to turn and leave, but he decided to hear the man out.

"I don't know what the problem is." Neji knew exactly what the problem was. The problem, such as it was, had dark hair and a horrendous attitude. There were only so many times one could turn away the prospect of love before the option was no longer there.

While most people thought Sakura would wait forever, Neji knew she would not. He could see what few others could. She had too much self respect now. And yes, there had been numerous times that she had given the Uchiha the chance to make it up to her, but the man had failed at every single opportunity. One person could only take so much, even one as ardent as Sakura. It was only a matter of time before she started looking else where for affection, which was in part why he was so disappointment to see the Sharingan user with her the day before. Still he was a patient man; he would wait for her to make a decision.

Regardless of the aforementioned points, he was surprised to hear there was a problem. As far as anyone knew the two were just continuing in their separate goals before eventually getting married and having tons of Uchiha brats, a fact that bothered him a great deal. Apparently something had gone wrong in that equation. The question was which side was backing away from their unspoken agreement? Which of the two had changed their mind?

He was paying attention now, but not out of duty to Naruto. He was deeply intrigued, on a personal level.

"They are both in the village for the first time in ages and nothing has happened. It's been months!" He let out a sigh and placed his head in his hands. Neji finally understood why he had not heard of the troubles until now. He had been away on that mission for the last month and a half. No one would have suspected anything was wrong with the pair until around the time he left, due to the Uchiha's stand-offish nature and Sakura's busy schedule.

"All Sakura-chan does is work at the hospital and train." For the first time since they began talking about the subject Neji got the feeling that this issue was less to do with Sasuke and more to do with Sakura, which pleased him more than he could vocalise. For a start it implied that Sakura was the reason the most talked about potential relationship in Konoha had not happened. The second reason it pleased him was the fact that Naruto was not just looking out for Sasuke's interests. Naruto was more concerned about Sakura than some potential idealised relationship, even if he was still convinced that happiness lay within the ill suited relationship. And finally Neji was far more inclined to be interested in the topic of their discussion if it was about her.

He thought back to the day before and recalled the exasperated manner with which she had addressed the dark man hovering around the hospital door. He had not noticed it as odd then, but now that he thought it over it was hugely so. Previously she had never gotten anything close to frustrated with the nin, but it had been there plain as day. Neji normally prided himself on his observational skills. Clearly he had been distracted the day before, both by his injuries and her presence.

"I just want Sakura-chan to be as happy as I am." There were many in the village that would call that a tall order. Naruto's relationship with Hinata seemed to be the kind that Lee and Gai would have described as the ultimate spring time of youth. It had been a little jarring at first, but he had quickly come to accept the idea. There was no one better than Uzumaki Naruto to take care of his gentle cousin. It also helped that Naruto was the only man Hinata wanted and that immediately made him everyones first choice for her.

The one thing anyone noticed when they saw the odd pair together was that they were happy; ecstatically so. It was a fate all hoped for, Neji included.

Ultimately he wanted the same thing as Naruto. He wanted Sakura to be happy. Up until a moment ago he had thought she was on her way to what she wanted, but even with the ambiguity with which Naurto addressed the problem Neji had gathered the gist; not all was well in paradise. That simply would not do. He took a sip of his tea, opal eyes focused intently on the troubled man before him.

Naruto tilted his head back thoughtfully and for a moment Neji wondered if the strongest man he knew might be about to weep or scream. He did neither. Instead he steadied himself and puffed out his chest in the same way he did when he was about to make a declaration. "I know she can handle herself, but I want to know that she is taking all of the options into consideration. Even if she has to step out of her comfort zone."

Neji did not know what he meant by that. It eluded to something he was not privy to, but he was not going to ask him to clarify. The phrase suited his purposes and he could wholeheartedly agree with the statement. Sakura should take all of the options into consideration. A whole new realm of possibilities opened up the minute that Naruto had announced that things were not going as smoothly as Sasuke wanted.

Neji had a plan.

"And what would you like me to do?" Neji asked, forgetting his meal entirely. Pearly eyes watched the man that sat next to him. Naruto was not typically careful with his words and Neji did not want to agree to something he could not support. So long as no more mention of Sauske was made then he was perfectly willing to help in this endeavour. Whether he agreed to assist Naruto or not the outcome would be the same, but he did want the fox on his side for this when all was said and done. It would be easier if they were on the same page, verbally at least, from the beginning.

"Could you talk to her? She won't let me say anything without punching me." The man who was to be Hokage rubbed his jaw gingerly. Everyone had, at one time or another, seen the blonde fly through the air. It was usually for a good reason. Sakura was not a patient woman, but in her defence her teammates were particularly bull headed, and whether though design or conditioning she had become so herself. She did not tolerate stupidity and her teammates often wound up in fundamentally stupid situations. Now that they were older it was happening less, but she still stepped in now and again to beat some sense into them. "She says I should focus on Hinata-chan and stop worrying about her love life."

That he could agree with. Naruto was well intended but in Neji's humble opinion the Kyuubi container was doing more harm than good. "I will approach her," he reassured the man, and was pleased to find that the faint shadow if whiskers on his face returned to their normal position.

"Thanks Neji. I owe you one." He did not in fact owe Neji anything. In reality Neji was about to owe Naruto even more than he already did. "I feel so much better. Maybe now she will take the situation into her own hands instead of waiting for that baka."

He knew that he was probably twisting Naruto's intentions but he chose not to think about it. Instead he focused on the part about Sakura not waiting for the Uchiha. It was something he would actively assist her with. "Indeed."

* * *

End Comments: I promise we have plenty of Neji/Saku feels in the next chapter. There is not much to say really other than than there is no Sasuke bashing intended. I do feel that anyone else that was interested in Sakura would have seen Sasuke as foolish for his actions in regards to her and Neji is reflecting that. Anyway, reviews are always welcome but please, no flames. I have no beta reader and I do my best to correct any mistakes I find but I am sure there are still some I miss. Forgive me please. Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: This is being posted SO much later than I thought I would be able to but the holidays got the better of me. My plan is to update as quickly as possible on all my stories while I might actually have some time on my hands. So here it is. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

Neji strode up the steps of the hospital with purpose. He had a plan and there was no better time to enact that plan than now.

The doors pushed open easily and he took the familiar path towards the wing that housed Sakura's office. If anyone found his presence suspicious they said nothing to the ANBU captain. The reception was filled with civilians and genins, who tended to keep the place busy. Unlike the night before where there had been an emergency in the form of his team returning injured there were no such life threatening situations occurring now and that was perfect. She would be busy -she always was- but no unduly so. His presence would not be a hinderance.

If the nurse behind the reception desk noticed him stride past she did not say anything. It was not unusual to see nins ignoring hospital protocol and having gotten this far into the day shift, she no longer had the energy to object. He was a trusted shinobi of the village, well known, and she happened to know where he was heading.

With the end of the day shift winding down many were preparing to go home and thus the offices and rooms were mostly closed off. Dinner would be starting soon and with it the evening shift would roll in. He had about ten minutes to find her before someone else did. Hospital staff had a bad habit of convincing her to stay for extra shifts on a regular basis. He could not have that.

His plan, such as it was, seemed simple enough. He just needed to make sure the timing was right. He had thought about it all day and had decided that just before 8pm was the best time to approach Sakura. He had been in the hospital enough times to know when one shift ended and another began. He also knew what times were most likely to be the least busy. Just before dinner was the best time. The kitchen would be busy but the medics would be less so.

As he approached her office he flashed his byakugan to make sure she was there. He did not usually use his kekkie genkai in places like hospitals. He ended up seeing more than he needed to and he felt like he was invading peoples privacy. He was fairly positive he was heading in the right direction, as someone would have stopped him otherwise. No staff member, no matter how tired, wanted to deal with an agitated Hyuuga Neji.

He only kept his bloodline limit activated to see the outline of her behind the door. She was alone, doing paper work, and putting away some files. He gently knocked on the door as he was sure she was focused intently on her files and did not want to startle her. He heard a stack of papers being placed down and her footsteps headed towards him. The door knob turned and soon he was greeted with the somewhat surprised but pleased expression of Konoha's top medic.

"Neji-san, to what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked stepping aside to let him in. He took her offer with out question, facing her pleasant expression. She was already assessing his condition quickly, her pupils scanning his person. "Not injured again are you?" she teased once she had visually confirmed that there were no obvious signs of injury.

He shook his head to stop her inquiries about his health and ease her concern. "No, I have come to see you."

As he had hoped his words brought a calm to her. No longer worried, the tension loosened in her shoulders and neck. "Oh? What's the occasion?" she asked as she tucked some errant strands of hair behind her ear, genuinely curious. It was not often that Neji sought one out for non-professional reasons and she was intrigued. With the house warming party quickly approaching, his presence mostly likely had something to do with that.

"I would like to take you to dinner." Her mind echoed the statement back to her with more excitement than she should have allowed and she willed her self to calm down. As flattering as it was to think that the handsome ANBU captain was interested in taking her to dinner on a date, she did not think that to be the case. She knew he liked her, at the very least in a sort of passing manner. He took notice of her, always paid attention, and every time he looked at her she could have sworn she saw his eyes soften with affection but she could not be sure. As such she was not making any assumptions. It was hard not to want to though. He was sinfully handsome in a regal way, and he was not cold, though many might think so. He was reserved, but considerate and a gentleman.

He was the quiet genius type that she had always been drawn to, but thankfully this genius did not mirror the one she had devoted herself to in years past. They were similar, enough so to garner comparisons, but Neji's motives were fundamentally different. Instead of railing against the system when faced with a defeat, he had chosen to reevaluate his position and as such had come to a healthier outlook because of it. He was not so stubborn as to tread down a path of destruction when given a viable alternative. He was willing to compromise and take another's wants and needs into consideration. He was the sort of man that she could see having a truly happy relationship with.

The self assurance and confidence he exuded was something she found to be incredibly sexy and she was not afraid to admit that. He was not cocky or presumptive. He was just Neji and she liked Neji, a lot. The slight upward quirk of his lips as he focused his gaze on her was inviting and she was sorely tempted to take him up on the offer. She had to lean her head back to look up at him, doing her best not to be drawn into his molten mercury orbs. They were intense but not in a way that made her uncomfortable or on edge. The way he looked at her made a heat stir in abdomen that was hard to deny. It also did not help that dressed in his form fitting ANBU issued black sleeveless vest and slightly loose black pants all his well defined musles were on display, along with the coveted ANBU tattoo on his bicep. The all black assemble also made his eyes stand out more than usual and while he was not wearing his katana or armour he still struck an intimidating and delicious figure.

Sakura tilted her head to the side playfully and the short pink tresses grazed her jaw line. "There is no need to thank me. I am just doing my job, really." The blush that swiftly appeared on her cheeks was light and barely visible to another, but his eyes saw more than most and it emboldened him.

Neji took a step forward noting that as he got closer her blush intensified and her pupils dilated slightly. Had she not been standing right in front of him he might have smirked triumphantly, but instead he leaned down slightly to bring himself closer to the petite medic. "Regardless."

A smile brought a glimmer to her eyes and caused her cheeks to rise. She turned swiftly to put her hospital jacket back on a rack near by. "Alright. Your timing is perfect. I should be free now if we leave before I get called back in."

Sakura swayed on her feet and he immediately recognised chakra depletion for what it was. She must have had a hard day. The hospital halls had been unusually full of late. She had most likely pulled one of her famous multi-day shifts in an attempt to ease the other medics loads. Was it possible that she had been at the hospital since the night before? Upon looking more closely he realised that it was probably true.

She felt the warmth of his body heat against her spine and his hands on her arms to steady her. Sakura leaned into his strength instinctively and focused her attention on righting the world that had begun to spin around her.

Swiftly he caught her, one arm at her back and the other under her legs and with grace and strength he swept her up. "Neji," she called from his grasp, staring up at him in gratitude. She wiggled a little bit, clearly an attempt to get down but he refused, holding her tighter to his chest. The instant she stopped moving and peered up at him through long lashes he smiled down at her. She hoped he could not hear or feel the thumping of her elevated heart beat and realised that in her distraction she had failed to add the honorific to his name.

"You need rest. I'll take you home." It was not a question and she recognised that immediately. With most others she would put up a fight, saying that she was fine, but she knew that was no use with him. He could see her chakra stores if he so chose and knew she was at her limit. She was on strict orders not to use the 100 healings jutsu without serious cause. With a sigh she nodded and relaxed. She inhaled deeply wondering at the earthy quality of his scent and the taught flex of his muscles. Quickly her eyes drifted shut, finally allowing herself the sleep she needed.

He looked down at the sleeping angel in his arms. She was beautiful and always had been. One had to be a fool or blind not to see it. He was neither of those things. He adjusted her in his grasp and carefully went to manoeuvre them into the hall.

She snuggled into his chest and he smiled. He supposed they had grown closer over the years, more than he would normally give himself credit for. She smiled when she saw him, enjoyed his company as much as he did hers and she liked to discuss serious topics with him. They even got lunch together every now and again after training, even if Naruto or Hinata were always present, and she always greeted him warmly. He hoped she would be as welcoming when he spoke to her later.

He immediately began to exit the hospital as swiftly and smoothly as he could manage. Near by nurses watched knowingly, clearly having witnessed such things before. The thought made him frown. He glanced back down at Sakura. He would need to speak with her about her own well being after she was rested. It would not do to have her exhausting herself so frequently.

As he made his way out of the double doors he noted that the rain had stopped. He picked up his pace, not wanting to her to get wet incase the drizzle came back. He was just about to jump from the street to a near by roof when a voice caught his attention.

"Hyuuga," The cold tone was suspicious and Neji did not need to turn to see who it was. "Put her down," Sasuke demanded, which prodded Neji's agitation. It was the sort of demand that one would make if he had kidnapped Sakura or had caused the circumstance, of which neither was true. The assumption that Sakura was in need of rescuing from him was insulting to say the least. For it to come from Uchiha Sasuke was down right hypocritical.

Neji had no intention of humouring him. His all seeing eyes glinted over his shoulder. "She needs rest," he said firmly, pointing out the obvious, for it had clearly escaped the man that stood near by.

The one armed nin stepped forward with purpose. "I will take her," he announced stretching out his arm to take Sakura's weight.

Neji regarded the gesture with scepticism and mild contempt. He shifted their position, turning his shoulders to show the rebellious shinobi that Sakura was quite happily snuggled into his chest. Her powerful fist had gripped onto his black ANBU issued shirt. "No need."

Sasuke frowned stepping forward again with irritated aura collecting about his person. "You are testing my patience."

A rumble reverberated through Neji's broad chest. If Sasuke thought that this was going to cow him the other man had another thing coming. "You are testing mine," Neji stated coldly, his voice dropping down a register. When he got no response he once again moved to take Sakura home. Droplets of water were starting the fall on the concrete and he had no intention of letting her get sick by sleeping in the cold rain. Sadly he did not get very far. He heard the swish of Sasuke's black cloak and immediately built up the chakra around his eyes. The hand that went to grab him was repelled by chakra and Sasuke found himself on the end of the infamous Hyuuga stare. With a push of energy from his system Neji forced the Uchiha back a step. Sasuke dug his heels in refusing to be pushed out of their path. "Move Uchiha."

A cloud of anger began to roll off of the pair. Sasuke's fingers twitched, a sign to Neji that despite the fact that Sakura was still held in his arms, the avenger intended to make a move and take her by force if needed. The shift of Sasuke's booted foot told Neji that a second attempt was forthcoming but a deceptively cheerful greeting from the ally shadows caught their attention first. "Traitor-kun! The Hokage wants you."

Sasuke eyed the pale ex-root member warily and with a bit of a sneer. It was no surprise to any of them that the two men did not like each other. Being confronted with his own replacement upon his return did not endear the artist to Sasuke nor did Sasuke's lack of patience make it easy for Sai to get to know the original Team 7 member. They tolerated each other but never for very long. Sai's interference earned him a glare from Sasuke but the shorter man did not turn away. In Sai's talented hand was a summons held out for the impatient shinobi to see for himself.

With a sniff, Sasuke turned on his heel and disappeared. Neji half expected Sai to offer to take Sakura home next. Everyone knew how overprotective the men of Team 7 could be. They each loved Sakura in their own way. With the exception of Naruto, the men of Team 7 were not very good at letting people into their circle and they had all made it very clear over the years that advances in Sakura's direction would be met with hostility. No one to date had the courage, skill, or will to challenge them, but Neji was determined to be the exception.

Neji prepared to defend himself once more, for he was not going to hand her over to another, no matter how close or well intended, while she was in such a vulnerable state. "Sai-san." His greeting found the artist relax and much to his surprise the ex-root member stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Sunshine-san," Sai said with a slightly more genuine version of his creepy upturned smile. Neji had never objected to the nickname, in part because there was little point, and also because he was well aware of the connotation behind Sai's unusual habit. Typically the nicknames meant the opposite of a persons characteristics and he could not deny that he was usually not the friendliest of people. But if it meant that by being called Sunshine Sasuke got to bear the brunt of the agitation by being called traitor, it was worth it. The apt nickname was the only open sign that anyone had ever received that Sai did not like the original member of Team 7, as it also happened to be the only nickname that rang true.

A small noise from the woman in his arms brought his attention to the task at hand. Neji received no sign that Sai had any intention of stopping him, in fact Ino's other half was walking away into the rapidly increasing drizzle. Neji felt a rain drop land on his shoulder and proceeded to jump to the nearest rooftop without jostling her, making his way across the city quickly. He knew where she lived. He had made a point of remembering after his cousin had insisted on a detour one night to convince her to join them for ramen with Naruto. He had also heard a rumour that her kitchen window remained open at all times in case one of her team mates needed her or the use of her apartment for any reason. As it happened he did not intend to sneak both of them through the tiny window of her kitchen, which might involve dumping one or both of them into her sink. Having nearly 360 degree vision that could see through solid substances had its perks and he knew that she kept a set of house keys in her pouch.

As he landed on her apartment balcony he adjusted her slightly to allow for one of his hands to reach into the pouch, careful not to touch any of her herbs or poisons. With keys in hand he opened the door and made his way to the back of the house. It was small but very tidy and cozy. Everything had a place and she had chosen her furniture with great care. It was the sort of place you could curl up with a warm cup of tea and read for hours, which he suspected she did when she was not at the hospital or training, for there was a large bookcase filled with medical texts that lined a far wall.

He noted that the layout was basic but provided the space needed for a bath, large bed, and other eminities that he guessed had been on Sakura's top priorities when searching for a place to call home. He turned the knob of the door a the back of a small hall and found her bedroom. Just like the rest of the house, it was the epitome of comfort in a colour pallet that he found soothing. Cream sheets and a neutral duvet cover were waiting for their sleepy mistress and so he set her down on the covers and removed her shoes. With a content smile she grasped onto a pillow and subconsciously assisted him in getting her under the covers.

With a light caress to her cherry pink locks he made her a silent promise to be back soon and swiftly closed the curtains. As quickly as he had arrived he left, making his way to the Hyuuga compound in a few jumps.

He did not know how he was going to be able to sleep. The fact that he had not actually been able to enact his plan to take her to dinner despite her agreeing to it had him on edge. It certainly did not help that he was still highly concerned for her, but sleep was what she had needed. As much has he wanted to stay to make sure she was alright he did not think it would be appropriate yet. He would check on her in the morning and meditate until he managed to fall asleep in the mean time.

He passed the main branch garden and turned to find his cousin watching him from the shadows. "Neji-nii-san, you're back late." Neji was not sure what compelled his younger relation to camp out in the communal gardens in such a fashion. She sat in the middle of the compound on a small garden decoration with her legs crossed and her eyes wide open. She had once implied that watching over the clan was her responsibility, and in a way he had to agree. As the Hyuuga clan heir it was her job to look out for them but even he had to admit that when she popped out of no where like that it could be misconstrued as creepy. She had a bad habit of taking people by surprise. Less attuned family members had been caught unawares many a time and so long as she never managed to take him off guard he was happy to watch his other Hyuuga flounder in embarrassment when frightened by the clan heir. Hanabi leaned forward. "Another mission so soon?"

Neji closed his eyes and began to walk around the estate veranda where his room was waiting for him. "A personal matter." His deep baritone rumbled pleasantly into the cool night air.

"I see," Hanabi said as she leaned forward. There were only a few members of her own family she trusted to take care of themselves and her beloved cousin was one of them. She would not push him for information particularly when there was no need. She smiled and closed her eyes. "She likes sweet things Nii-san."

Neji closed his door behind him and followed her line of sight. A bright pink strand of hair on his otherwise pristine black shirt was incredibly telling. He smirked, pulling the shinning lock off of his chest in the process. Hanabi was truly going to be frightening as a clan leader to those who crossed them. Perhaps a stint with the interrogation squad would suit her. He would look into that possibility in due course. For now he had more pressing matters to attend to. He quickly prepared for bed, determined to get some sleep. He had an appointment the next day, and it would not do to be sluggish for it.

* * *

Sakura woke with a groan. She could have easily slept all day but someone was pounding on her front door. And it was blasted early as well. She rolled over hoping the noise would go away but it did not. If anything it only got louder.

She wondered briefly if it was Neji coming to check on her but dismissed that thought. He did not seem the type to make such a racket. He probably would have knocked a couple of times and then managed to find a way in to check on her. She peered over her covers and was a little disappointed to find that he was not already there in the room somewhere. Reason belatedly informed her that had he been present the incessant knocking would have stopped by now.

The fact that her bedroom appeared to be devoid of anyone else could also be seen as a small blessing. Sasuke fell into the category of person that might let themselves into her apartment but she did not think he would bother. If he had stopped by he would have most likely left without seeing her at all.

That really only left two people that she knew of who might be so insistent in attempting to gain her attention. With a roll of her tired eyes she kicked away her covers and let her feet fall to the chilled wooden floor. She shuffled into the living room and winced as her door rattled. She looked around and found that there was no sign of anyone else. Neji had not stayed and she found herself a little disappointed by that.

"Forehead!" The shout irked her. Now she was sure of who it was. This would not be the first time her neighbours complained about a noisy blonde at her door during the ungodly hours of the morning.

"Keep your tits on Pig!" she called back just loud enough for her best friend to hear. She her the indignant huff on the other side and quickly undid the latch of her apartment door. She was greeted by the frigid morning air and a wide grin. She found neither entertaining. Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "Seriously, you and Naruto are going to get me kicked out. I like this apartment."

Ino ignored her displeasure and moved to walk past her, but was stopped short by a tired glare. "I heard you're free today." the blonde said, whipping her hair about behind her. In moments like these Sakura missed her long hair but she reminded herself that on many an occasion it had gotten in the way. Cleaning blood out of long hair was such a pain and not matter how securely she tied it up bits always managed to get free and obscure her vision.

Sakura tapped her foot in growing impatience. Her bed was waiting along with a warm shower and a steaming cup of coffee. Kami must have heard her silent plea for an out because a blur raced past, landing briefly behind Ino and leaving a small note in it's shadow. She leaned down to pick it up recognising the small paw print on her welcome mat as Kakashi's prized, if not overworked, ninken Pakkun. The note was short but clear. "Free to rest," she said almost positive that if Neji or Kakashi found her anywhere but home should they stop by to check on her she would get an earful.

Ino nodded and stepped forward predatorily. "And shop."

Sakura recognised that determination. She did not know how she had managed to befriend such stubborn blondes but both shared a particular pigheadedness that she had yet to see in any others. Pale blue stared her down and Sakura felt her resolve begin to waver. She shook her head. "Ino-" Her rejection died on the tip of her tongue.

Pink lips puckered and wrinkled and Sakura could sense a change in tactic occurring. "It's been ages." Sakura recognised the pout that was forming on her best friends face. "Please?" Ino whined with wide eyes and a wiggle that informed Sakura that the busty woman was not going to be leaving until she got what she wanted.

Sakura raked her hand through messy pink hair and let out a long sigh. "Alright but-"

In a flash she was shoved back into her apartment. Ino pushed past her to race towards her dresser and closet. "No buts. Shower, wash your face, brush your hair, change, and brush your teeth. Anything else you need we can get while we're out."

Sakura glanced longingly towards her kitchen where her coffee pot sat unused on her counter top. She was in desperate need of caffeine and food. "But coffee-"

"While were out!" A fluffy white towel hit her square in the face and Sakura decided to get a move on before other, more solid items managed to find their way to her person.

* * *

Neji was pleased to have started this particular morning better than he had the previous one. He had woken at a reasonable hour, eaten a small breakfast and headed out to train before he checked in on Sakura.

He thought they might go out for lunch if she was awake. If she was still asleep he would stop by again later and see if she was interested in dinner. He had moved through his katas with ease now that his wounds had been tended to. Sakura had most likely done some additional healing because he felt fortified, his movements more fluid than normal.

He had been about to stretch and think about heading over to see her when a familiar figure meandered over. The coffee haired man frowned. Sasuke had never gone out of his way to interact with him before and Neji could not say he was happy to see the man do so now. He wanted something. Whatever it was, Neji doubted it would be beneficial to his cause.

When the last Uchiha was close enough to strike Neji stood to his full height and was pleased to find that for what ever reason the scowl that generally graced the mans features deepened considerably. It was most likely due to the fact that when standing side by side Neji was slightly taller than Sasuke and the byuakugan wielder had noticed previously that being looked down on was one of the many things that bothered the quietest member of Team 7.

They were silent for a short time, until Sasuke realised that unless he said something the Hyuuga male would just continue to stare at him in question. "Hyuuga."

While a greeting was not necessarily going to be in the cards, as he was not in the habit of greeting those who approached him with hostility, Neji quickly understood that Sasuke was not going to explain his presence any time soon. "What do you want Uchiha?"

"What business do you have with Sakura?" The question was more of a demand than anything else. The sharingan wielder's jaw clenched and loosened a few time betraying his frustration. He was not technically allowed to strike at a fellow Konoha nin as part of his probation but it was obvious that he wanted to.

For the second time in as many days he was squaring off with the last Uchiha. He should have seen it coming really. Sasuke was not known to back down from anything unless it was by force but then Neji was known to be just as stubborn when it came to someone or something he cared about. Neji would not be backing down either, no matter what was thrown at him. "Other than assuring her health?" Sasuke glared at the implication behind the Hyuuga's matter of fact statement and dry tone. His displeasure did not stop Neji from continuing to state the obvious. "I don't see how that is any of your concern."

"Ah." Neji did not need the man to translate his monosyllabic response. It was written in his body language. Sasuke still cared for Sakura, in his way. He had always looked out for her and protected her from outsiders. This time was no different.

What he had not banked on was a determined Hyuuga Neji standing before him. "You had your chance. Many at that. She made her choice." It was subtle but the truth of his statement caused Sasuke to emotionally flinch, a hesitation that Neji could see in the change of his stance. Feeling bold, he moved to brush past Sasuke. It was about time to check on Sakura and the Uchiha was not going to stand in his way. "You do not intimidate me."

Sasuke teeth clicked together as a hand reached for his sword. "We can fix that."

The chakra around his eyes built up causing Neji's veins to stand out prominently. A quick glance at his surroundings brought a stark fact to his attention. Sakura was not there. He had chosen a training ground near her house so he could be close at hand when his light session was over. He scanned the village for her chakra signature. He found her in seconds and was not pleased to discover that she was in the town shopping district, nor was he pleased to find that Ino was at her side. Neji raced forward, catching Sasuke's wrist in his hand and shutting off the chakra points in his arm expertly.

Sasuke glared. He had not expecting the ANBU captain to be so fast. Much had changed since the last time they sparred. "I have more important matters to attend to than your wounded pride," Neji said, stepping away from the training grounds with a flash, leaving Sasuke behind to contemplate what had just happened.

* * *

Sakura looked at the black dress that Ino held up for her to assess. If she was being honest it looked just like the last three black dresses that Ino had showed her. She could not tell the animated woman that. After getting her coffee and a small pastry the pair had gone down to their favorite shops. Sakura had thought that the outing would be a nice leisurely hour or two of perusing, but apparently Ino had an agenda. She and Sai had a date that evening. He had just gotten back from Iwa the evening before and Ino wanted the perfect dress. It also seemed that she had a style in mind, for every dress that had been paraded past Sakura's eye had looked remarkably similar.

There was only one way to end this, or else they would be shopping until Sai came looking for them. "That one," she stated with absolute authority.

Ino raised her chin to take in the length of her dress and to see how it hung, presumably to see what it might look like form Sai's height. "You think?" she asked, not yet completely sold. It was always like that with Ino. If the garment was not purple she floundered about a purchase.

"Yes, you look fantastic in it," Sakura said honestly while she did her best not to let her stomach growl. Ino had said they would get whatever she needed once they were out but what she really wanted was some more food. Anything at this point would do. Food and a nap were at the top of her list and that meant getting Ino out of the shopping district as soon as possible.

"I do, don't I?" Admittedly the busty blonde had looked amazing in all of them, but Sakura hardy felt the need to go down that rabbit hole. If she even mentioned the other dresses again Ino would insist on trying them all on one more time just to be sure she had the right one. With a wide smile Ino posed in front of the mirror and nodded to herself. "Thanks Forehead."

Sakura waited for her to change and her mind drifted back to the comfortable bed that was waiting for her. She had been tempted a few times to ditch this little adventure in favor of sleep but she knew what would happen if she did that. Someone would just wake her up. So here at Ino's side she reminded. At least with a frenzied Yamanaka Ino she was less likely to get called back into work sooner than she needed to be. She had received that note from the Hokage informing her that she would be taking the rest of the day off, but she knew her own bad habits. If staff from the hospital showed up at her house looking for help she would cave.

She heard a happy hum echo out of the dressing room and grinned. If Ino was happy with her choice then all of this was worth it. Sakura began to thumb through the racks of clothing again. There were so many beautiful items. She loved the feel of silk on her finger tips and was once again reminded of her bed. It was one of the few things she had splurged on for herself when she moved out of her parents house. She had a fantastic coffee machine, a drawer full of bath salts, a few aromatic candles scattered around, and the most comfortable bed she could afford. Over the years she had upgraded her sleeping quarters piece by piece until she was sure not even the local lord himself could claim to have better. Sadly her memory foam, silken covered, duvet topped mattress would have to wait.

Ino emerged from the dressing room with her prize held tightly between her fingers as if she was afraid someone might swoop down and steal it from her. The long pony tail swung dramatically to the side as she placed her money down on the counter. "Alright, one down. Two more to go."

Sakura raised a delicate pink brow. "Two?" she parroted wearily.

"Bag and shoes obviously," Ino said flippantly.

Sakura opened her mouth to object, noting the grumble from her belly and the way her eyes were threatening to shut on her any second. Thankfully a familiar voice brusquely interjected. "Yamanaka," he barked with a deep set frown. The heavy footfalls of his stride told her how agitated he was and braced herself for the incoming tirade. Surprisingly his tell tale scowl was focused solely on Ino. Neji moved to stand at her side and Sakura could smell the warm comforting fragrance that suddenly encompassed her. It had been there the night before and on her clothes in the morning, the lingering scent of cedar and something vaguely spicy and bright that she could not put a name to. She had noticed it before jumping in the shower as it had subtly interlaced itself into the fabric of her clothes. "I take it this is your doing." His accusation hung heavily in the air between them.

Ino did not bother to deny it, opting to sink onto one hip and defiantly place a hand there in challenge. "I had some shopping to do and I needed Forehead's help," she stated as if it was perfectly natural to wake a recovering individual up at 7am to go on an all day shopping spree.

A disgruntled noise at the back of his throat was all they needed to hear to know what he thought of that. He turned his attention to Sakura and his features softened considerably, though she did not think she was off the hook quite yet. "Your chakra is still low. Do you need to rest?" he asked, relying on her own judgement and expertise in such situations. She knew far more than he did about such matters and he would adhere to her assessment.

Sakura could not help the blush that rose to her cheeks under the weight of his attentions. He was standing close and leaning in, closer than he normally would have just as he had the day before in her office. She remembered what he had asked as well. He had leaned in just like that before asking her to dinner. She was still not quite sure what to make of that. As always he was paying very close attention to her, and she felt her mouth go dry with anticipation. It almost looked like he might lean in further, but he waited for her response instead. He was monopolising her attention, on purpose or otherwise, and she found that it was hard to concentrate when he stood this close.

She mentally berated herself. Yes, his actions were strange but he was concerned. He had watched her collapse the day before and had taken her home to rest. She was fairly positive that he had either gone to check on her or was on the way to do so when he realised that she had absconded to the market for some shopping with Ino and was understandably worried. So she pushed aside her thoughts on how captivating his eyes were, or how strong his hold on her had been the night before, or how wonderful he smelled. He had asked her a question and she intended to answer him with a coherent sentence. Her lips parted slightly in thought and then began to move in a most enchanting manner. "What I could really use is something to eat," she said with a small embarrassed smile as her stomach growled once more.

Neji extended an arm to her hopefully. "Shall we?" he asked waiting for her. She did not disappoint and he found that his chest became tight as her upturned face smiled brightly at him.

Sakura did not know if Kami was just blessing her today or if the cosmos had suddenly aligned their stars in her favor but Neji was clearly going out of his way to be around her. There was no way she was going to turn the opportunity down even if he was just looking out for her well-being. She put her hand on his arm and noticed that his frown dissipated completely. She leaned into his warmth as a cool gust of wind swept past the door. He did not pull back or turn away. He smiled, and she started to rethink her previous assumption as the small gesture lit up his features in a way she had never witnessed before. A tingling sensation spread through her limbs as the handsome man brought her even closer to his side. Perhaps there might the more to all this than just friendly concern. "Sure Neji-kun," she said as they began to walk out of the store. She turned her head and waved to the blonde that they left in their wake. "Good luck on your date Ino! That dress is gonna be killer."

Ino stood slack jawed at the scene before her. She had just been ditched by her best friend. Or rather Sakura had ben hijacked by a living breathing ice cube who had just smiled in public for what might have been the very first time. And Sakura had been blushing something fierce. For a moment she stood there until the gravity of the situation dawned on her. A mischievous grin spread across her features. "Hmph, rude," she said, more for show than anything else and marched out to find her bag and shoes. She was going to look her best for the evening and Sai was going to love the juicy little piece of gossip she had for him.

* * *

End Comments: I hope you enjoyed all the NejiXSaku feels. Things get more intense in the next chapter and our little fic will earn it rating. I won't promise a time but I do want it to be soon as I'd like to have this wrapped up before February. We shall see. Sasuke will make one more brief appearance and then no more. Anyway as always i have no beta so please forgive any mistakes. Reviews are welcome and appreciated but no flames please. Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Not much to say really. we are taking a turn towards more NejixSaku. a few of you mentioned that you thought getting rid of Sasuke too early would pose problems, and I do agree, but this is not meant to be a SasuxSaku fic. Not even a little bit. Due to the length of this chapter and an added chapter that I had not originally planned he will be making a couple more appearances but not too many. Therefore without me yammering on too much, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

The street was busy and he was thankful they had managed to find a quiet spot at the cafe to finish their bentos. "How do you feel?" His question was not loud nor did it need to be. They were sitting at a small table under an awning at an establishment he knew well and had been a frequent visitor to for years. He was glad he had thought to bring her there. It was one of his favorites after a good training session and her complexion had improved greatly since they sat down.

"Better." She took another sip of her tea and let the warm sweet drink invigorate her. She was not sure how he knew that she preferred her tea to be on the sweet side but she was not complaining. The brew was delicious. "Mmmm, much better," she said opening her eyes again and shifting her feet. Their knees brushed under the table and she paused. She waited for him to pull away but he did not. If anything he seemed to get closer to her, the soft, worn black material of his pants brushing against the inside of her knees.

"Good." His bare well muscled arm rested on the table, his fingers coming within reach of her own. "Sakura." She could hear the concern that filled his voice. He was not wrong to bring it up now. How many times had she told him that proper rest was required to stay in the best condition? Too many times. Her fingers twitched and her hand bumped into his. Neji's hand turned over subtly.

She smiled sheepishly glancing up at him through thick lashes. "I know. I'm as bad as some of my patients."

He could take a few guess as to whom she was referring. Thankful he was not among them. In his youth he and not been the best patient. In fact he was one of the worst, constantly attempting to leave the hospital or train when he should not have, sometimes out right refusing to go to seek treatment at all. But that was before the war. During his rehabilitation he had started to sing a different tune, specifically due to her overseeing his care. He had never once questioned her medical judgement since. He knew she appreciated it for there were many others that made her job needlessly difficult, namely the men on her own squad.

He regarded her closely. "There are many concerned for your well being, myself included," he said, his voice dropping down so that she could hear the words more clearly. He had such a smooth voice whose timbers often lulled her into a state of calm security. This time was no different, which is why it took her a moment to process the first part of his statement and what it implied.

There was a pause as she pulled back slightly. Instantly he regretted having opened his mouth. He could not pinpoint why but the reference to others had made her withdraw a tiny bit, something he was loath to see. He waited as she connected the dots in her mind and thought of the best way to continue.

"Would one of those concerned be Naruto?" The suspicion and hesitation he sensed filtered through her stance quite clearly. Her shoulders stiffened and her posture became more closed, if only minutely. Another may not have noticed, but he did. There was one positive aspect to the change; it did not have to do with him directly. She was angry at Naruto, though he was curious to find out exactly what the blonde had done to incur her wrath this time.

In such situations he had learned over the years that it was best to just be honest, so came right out with it. "We spoke, yes."

Sakura's brow furrowed, her eyes developing a honed quality that only seemed to show up when Naruto was about to get pummelled for some thoughtless act or other. "I told that baka to stop sending people over to talk to me. First Kakashi-sensei, then Ino, then Sai. Sai!" she exclaimed thinking back on that particularly awkward conversation with the artist. Sai was the last person to be giving her advise on romantic relationships. For all of Ino's flirtations, the dense man had taken forever to pick up on the fact that the blond bombshell was very much interested in him. Sakura often found herself having to explain Ino's expectations to the clueless man who still struggled with understanding others, particularly his overly social girlfriend. If anyone needed advise it was Sai.

Still she found that with both of her best friends in happy, committed relationships they had turned their meddling eyes to her. Naruto was most ardent that she sort out whatever was going on, or rather what was not going on, with Sasuke. The more they badgered her the more resolved she was in her decision. She had made the right choice and without some kind of miracle, or a serious change in Sauske's outlook, she would not be altering it. As stubborn as Sasuke was there was little likely hood of that. Besides, it had been sometime since she had started to move on, she had realised in retrospect.

It was only recently official. She had noticed things were different when her teammate had returned last and it had been confirmed when the words of rejection had flowed from her mouth when he brought it up a few months earlier, surprising both of them and all their friends. Even so, she knew that a relationship between them would not work out the way she had always dreamed of. His proposition had cemented that... and her growing attraction to the man that sat before her. Even if Neji did not feel the same way she knew that Sasuke was not the right man for her. They were heading in different directions. She remained steadfast in her conviction, determined to devote her time and energy to work until the right relationship presented itself. "I am not going to change my mind."

Neji heard the confidence with which she spoke. He supposed it might be quiet troublesome to be hounded by ones friends concerning the status of her relationship. As it stood there were two real decisions she might have come to; she could have sworn off relationships or she could have finally cut off the Uchiha. He had a guess as to which it was. Ultimately his goal remained the same. To confirm his suspicions he asked, "The Uchiha?"

She was not sure how he always managed to convey what he meant so concisely. He was one of the few people that she knew that could do that. He had managed to cut past the bullshit and get to the crux of the issue with out truly ruffling her feathers. Perhaps more importantly she did not feel like he had an agenda, at least not one that was directly linked to her relationship with Sasuke. "Yeah," she admitted doing her best not to let the subject ruin her mode. The quiet little cafe was the perfect place for a date, and up until the mention of Naruto and Sasuke she had been able to pretend it was one.

He could tell there was a great deal of detail and reason behind her simple answer. He understood why she would not wish to convey all of it but at the same time he would not fully understand without some form of explanation. "May I ask?"

His question brought about a calm contemplation. How much did she want to say really? Not much was nessecary. Yes, there was a great deal she wanted to complain about, but not to Neji. She did not think dumping her problems with a previous love interest on him would be appropriate, not when she knew that she, unrequited or otherwise, had feelings for him.

It was true that she had been on the verge of getting agitated, but not with Neji. If Naruto had unknowingly recruited her current love interest to convince her to return to her old one she was going to punt his sorry ass all the way to Kagura's dimension. One look at Neji's ernest expression told her more than she thought it would.

Evidently he had not known the full extent of Naruto's meddling. It was not like Neji to get involved in such a conversation on behalf of another. She knew that he would not be going out of his way to do a favor for her quieter teammate, and while he may have extended such a favor to Naruto she found it unlikely that such a curtsy would include a discussion about Sasuke. No, this line of thought appeared to be him genuinely asking her about her reasoning. He did not seem to be interested in convincing her of anything to do with the last Uchiha. "I am not just going to give up everything just because he wants me to. I'm making a difference. I'm helping people," she said with the resolve of someone who had clearly thought over the possibilities in her mind a few times and had come to a determination that would not be shaken.

He could not deny that he was pleased to hear Sakura be so definitive. What he was not pleased to find out about was the idea that leaving her achievements behind had been on the table at all. She was a prized kunoichi of Konoha. Not only was she a credit to her village but she was a vital element to its healthy operation. Not many other nins could claim the same. She should have been lauded for her efforts and considerable achievements, not asked to abandon something that made her happy. "Retirement?"

Once more she understood his line of question with out him having to fully articulate it and wondered at how he had managed to understand her without her having to fully express the problem. Green orbs rolled as a manner of confiding in him as she rested her chin on an open palm. "Yes, which is not happening," she insisted looking towards the street wistfully. "We want very different things and very different lives, right now anyway. I'm not the same star struck girl anymore."

Neji stood and held a hand out to her. He had all the information he needed and he was ready to leave the conversation behind. "No, you're not," he said with assurity and a twinkle in his molten eyes. She smiled brightly, taking the assistance he offered as she had earlier. She did not know when they had started touching each other so freely but she was not going to look a gifted horse in the mouth, never mind the fact that he had yet to be seen walking about town with anyone else in such a manner. Her stomach flipped at the side long glance he sent to her which was full of acceptance and something else she could not quite put her finger on but it made her pulse quicken. "So, where shall we go?" he asked, ecstatic to find that the light blush she sported was quickly getting darker under his attentions.

"I think I should probably rest for a bit, but there isn't much point." Her voice was full of resignation and he was fairly sure he knew why. She was in high demand. Between the hospital, her friends, and her team someone was always looking for her. If she went back to her apartment she would soon find herself heading out once more.

An idea struck him and he slowly and deliberately turned them down the busy streets towards the narrow lanes of Old Konoha. "I think I can help," he said with a sly smirk. Sakura gawked for a few seconds before an amused chuckle burst out of her.

If he had a place where she could safely rest, free from intrusion, she might just kiss him. If he kept looking at her like that, with a small smile meant only for her, she might just have to kiss him anyway.

He turned his head to find a bemused Sakura leaning her head on his bicep. Her second hand joined the one that had taken residence on his forearm. Molten silver met shinning emerald and for a heartbeat neither could breathe. The sunlight shone down on her and her pupils shrunk showing him a miriad of varying green tones in her irises. All he could do was stare. Sakura's lips parted as that look he had been gracing her with since the day before was back in full force.

A gust of cool wind blew her hair into her face, breaking the spell they had both been transfixed by, and she felt his finger tips tuck the strands behind her ear. Sakura blushed heavily once more. "Lead on Captain," she said falling into step with him.

Neji placed his free hand on top of hers. She was trusting him implicitly as she had the night before and he was not going to squander the opportunity.

* * *

Hiashi walked along the path towards his tea room. Meetings with the council often took a heavy toll on his peace of mind and today had proved to be no exception. There was a part of him that would be pleased to pass the mantle on to his youngest, though at the same time he was hesitant to do so. His trepidation had nothing to do with pride or power. Truly, he just wanted to spare her the weight of the councils expectations for as long as possible. So he continued to go to the meetings inspite of his ever growing agitation at their demands and petty view points.

All he really wanted right now was a quiet place to meditate with a warm cup of tea. The house was oddly still, but not tranquil, he noted as he looked around the garden behind lidded eyes. He always scanned his home regularly, a habit that had formed after the first attempt to kidnap his eldest and the ramifications that had ensued from the event.

The family was oddly absent from the premisies. Usually there were at least a couple of extended family members milling about for one reason or another, but today there was no one save the two guards. The courtyard was empty and the doors to the extending portions of the house such as the library and the dinning room, typically being cleaned at such a time, were shut off.

Something was amiss. It did not take long to discover what. His daughters' rooms were clear of oddities but the one directly after theirs, his nephews, held the key.

Dark brows, most often found furrowed, shot up to his hairline in shock.

"Oto-sama," Hanabi greeted evenly, having appeared behind him in a flash. He could only boast at her improvement when given the chance to do so, but he would need to discuss this unnerving tendency she had to pop up behind people. So far the only family members she had not managed to scare out of their wits were his father, him self, and his nephew. She had come close once but he had managed to keep his cool. He was still the head of the Hyuuga clan. It would not do to be seen jumping out of his skin because his daughter had nearly given him a heart attack.

Carefully, and with an even timbre that had been acquired over years of having to keep ones cool, he addressed the subject. "Is that Haruno Sakura in Neji's futon?"

Hanabi let a small smile creep onto her lips, the only sign she gave that he was correct. Of course he knew who it was curled up in her cousins sheets under the watchful protection of the ANBU captain. He wanted confirmation. After all it was not everyday that the somewhat reclusive clan genius brought home Konoha's most eligible kunoichi, or anyone for that matter. Nor was it like Sakura to be found in such a comfortable position with anyone else. Sakura was quite reserved with her person, only allowing a select few to enter her personal space. It appeared Neji was trusted by the pretty medic, a fact that had Hanabi dancing about the estate since the pair had arrived. "Are you angry?" she inquired gauging his reaction as best she could. It was hard to read the older man. He was an expert at hiding his emotions.

Hiashi folded his arms over his chest, opening his eyes for the first time since she had arrived. "Is there a reason for me to be?"

Hanabi did not know why her father always insisted on asking questions he already knew the answers to. She knew he could clearly see what was going on. Much to everyones disappointment it was nothing truly salacious. Although if her Nii-san played his cards right that might change in the near future. For now Hanabi was left to pout slightly. Her Nii-san was a gentleman after all. "None at all," she said stepping up next to him. "Some of the clan thought you might object to Nii-san having a woman in his room."

That explained the lack of people. He was not quite sure when he had earned the reputation of being generally irritable and quite the hard ass. A stickler is what he would have called his father in years past. Without realising it he had earned the same reputation his father had. Perhaps he needed to start smiling more when he walked around the estate. Though they were correct in this instance. Having a guest of the opposite sex in ones room was not considered acceptable Hyuuga behaviour.

"They are correct. It is not something I would normally allow, but I am willing to make an exception." An exception for the woman, not the action. Anyone else would have fallen under the Hyuuga clan lord's ire. A swift but fair punishment would have been dolled out and not for the first time he shook his head at his own indulgence. It was a testament to how much he loved his nephew that the young man was given such freedoms. To Neji's credit the extent of his uncle's leniency had never been tested, and that was another element in this. His nephew must have been quite serious to have disregarded clan protocol so vagrantly.

"Good because if you did objected I would have to step in." Her cheerful smile and skip as she stepped up next to him contradicted her words, another trick that would be keeping the family and elders on their toes for years to come.

"No need, Hanabi. So long as the woman is Sakura-san, Neji may bring her here as often as he likes." He looked around to find that many family members were currently focusing their attention on the main portion of the house. For many years now he wished that there was a way to keep secrets on the estate but since their was not, he had taken to announcing things publicly. They were all very good at reading mouths. "and they are to have privacy no matter the circumstance."

Hanabi folded her arms into her sleeve, and action that was painfully familiar. He briefly wondered if becoming Hyuuga clan leader came with certain mannerisms that could not be avoided. "Excellent, then we are agreed," she said. And it would certainly help to be so.

The last thing he wanted to do was argue with his daughter over his nephews romantic decisions. With his choice of Haruno Sakura there would be no objections. Not from him and not from the council. "Join me for tea?"

"Yes, just let me take care of something To-san." She turned on her heel and took a couple of long purposeful strides towards the entrance. A dark flash appeared before them at the end of the long veranda where the gateway met the street. "Uchiha-san, can we help you?" she asked with a straight back and her chest puffed out. She stood in line with the gateway, making herself as large as possible. The guards were at the ready, prepared to strike, but they knew that the two young Hyuuga men on duty stood no chance against the intruder should things get physical.

The wandering shinobi said nothing, standing in the gate way impassively as though it were perfectly natural to find him there. It was not. Hanabi could detect anxiety and an overriding sense of frustration that would quickly lead to anger if provoked too much. This was the first time Uchiha Sasuke had ever come to call and it was too coincidental that it also happened to be the first time that Haruno Sakura was staying for any period of time in the compound. It infered only one thing really. Hanabi hid her annoyance at his presence behind an affable smile. "She is resting." She assured him as best she could, but father and daughter could see the scepticism radiating off of Sasuke's flat expression.

Dark eyes attempted to see past the pair of Hyuuga that had blocked his vision of the inner garden. Of course they all knew he could bypass them if he chose to, but his probation was very clear. Criminal activity, no matter the variation, was strictly prohibited whilst within the walls of Konoha. Stepping onto Hyuuga grounds without an express invitation to do so could be seen as breaking and entering. Normally he was not one to follow rules. He was willing to do so now for his friends' peace of mind. Therefore as much as he wanted to shove past them and find out what the hell was going on, he did not. "Ah," he said, internally cursing the fact that he could not see through walls.

Hiashi stepped forward once more drawing the attention of the Sharingan user. "Be assured Uchiha-san, she is safe under our protection. You may see her when she wakes." It was his way of politely ushering him off the premises.

The young man frowned and much to Hiashi's disappointment had no intention of leaving. For a short time all three stood silent, not knowing what to say or do. All three pairs of gifted eyes shifted as the sound of someone coming around the bed at an alarming speed caught their attention. Hianta grabbed onto the large wooden planks of the gateway in an attempt to steady herself.

Hinata straightened herself after catching her breath addressing Sasuke with what appeared to be a pressing issue. Everything about the normally docile woman screamed that the equally quiet man's presence was required immediately. Hanabi wanted to slap her sister on the back. For all that she was typically quiet and shy, Hinata could be sly when she wished to be.

"Sasuke-san, would you mind accompanying me to Ichiraku's? Naruto-kun said he wished to see you." Hinata withstood a glare that the prickly man did not hold back despite whom he was surrounded by, but ultimately the request and the desired effect. His black cloak fluttered behind him as he walked into the wind towards the Uzumaki residence. Hinata clasped her hands before her, bowing to her family in a rush before running to catch up with Sasuke's long strides. "Could you ask them to stop by the house when she wakes up?" She called back at them, spinning about as she did so. She waited to see Hanabi's nod before jogging to falling into step with the brooding nin.

"Well, that was rather convenient timing," Hanabi said with a devious grin, watching her sisters retreating back knowingly. Hinata could be crafty when she chose to be.

Hiashi turned swiftly, escorting his youngest towards his greatly anticipated cup of tea. "It does indeed seem we are all agreed," he said, echoing his daughters comment from earlier. He could honestly say he was thrilled at the prospect of bringing Sakura into the Hyuuga clan. Through his daughters perseverance and affections the most talented shinobi the world had ever seen was now linked to the Hyuuga. To have Haruno Sakura also join their ranks would be a boon.

She was one of the few kunoichi without a kekkei genkai that was strong enough to stand at his nephews side. It was a fact that few clan lords were willing to admit out loud but many had their eye on her for just that reason. With no fear of another bloodline limit in the way a lord could ensure that the talents of their clan would pass on through a strong line. And she was strong, so much so that even the best nins were nervous when she decided to fight to her full ability.

From a personal perspective he hoped his nephew cared for her a great deal. She had earned his own personal admiration many years before after saving his beloved relation from the grips of death, and that had been compounded many times since after caring for a myriad of injuries that the clan had managed to sustain over the years. Both deserved to be happy and if the comfortable aura that emanated from his nephews room was anything to go by both occupants were enjoying the others company.

Hanabi's smile grew exponentially as she imparted a nugget of knowledge to her father. "Indeed. And unless I am greatly mistaken, Neji-nii-san might be in love with her."

The Hyuuga leader paused before opening the shoji. Love? The wrinkles around his eyes creased as his cheeks rose. "All the more reason to make sure they are given the opportunities they need for her to get to know him."

Both sat in their favorite spots. Hanabi laughed lightly reaching to prepare the tea expertly, setting some warm water to boil. "You seem confident in Nii-san."

Hiashi thought back on all the years Neji had dedicated to their craft. He was a genius, yes, but even geniuses had to put in effort if they wanted to succeed. He did not know anyone that put in more effort towards honing their skills than his nephew, except perhaps his son-in-law. He folded his arms into his sleeves and allowed his features to lighten. And why not? Things were being set in motion that he could not have been happier about. There was no reason not to enjoy them. "I am. When he dedicates himself to his goals nothing stands in his way."

Hanabi paused in dolling out the tea and turned her head to look at the sky. "That is true," she admitted. Her Nii-san was dogmatic once he made up his mind about something. If he had devoted himself to Haruno Sakura, which she suspected he had, he would ensure that she was happy. He would put all of his effort into the relationship and in that regard they could not have been better matched, for Sakura was the same when she set her mind to something. "I feel sorry for the Uchiha."

The scoff that scrunched his brow was one that she was familiar with. "Why?"

The sly grin was back as Hanabi began to pour the steaming liquid into the elegantly decorated cups before whisking. "Because Neji-nii-san is going to spoil her for any other man."

Hiashi chuckled reaching for his china. "I find that to be a most admirable endeavour," he said jovially.

Hanabi did not bother to hold back the raukus laugh that escaped her but quickly dialled it back. If she made too much noise she might find herself on the receiving end of her beloved cousins jukken.

* * *

Neji opened his eyes in the afternoon light. She had not been asleep for long. He would have preferred that she get the rest she truly needed but be knew when he saw her chakra shift that she would wake. Such had proven to be the case. It was a gentle process that happened naturally and she looked more refreshed for it, though he was not sure he did.

He had attempted to meditate but it was hard to focus on anything other than her when she was laying in his bed, covered in his sheets. She looked just as he had always thought she would in such a situation and he found that he liked having her in his bed, so much so that it was hard to look away. So he did not.

As she woke he could see her lashes slowly prise open. It was quite early. The sun had yet to begin its decent and there was still a great deal of time before the day was through.

Sakura stretched lazily taking in the scent of cedar that surrounded her. She had picked up on it in her clothes from the evening before but here in his room it surrounded her like a cocoon. It was not a strong scent, but when she breathed in deeply it was there and it brought images of the handsome ANBU captain instantly to mind.

She had expected to see the cream coloured walls or sheets of his room when she opened her eyes. Instead she was greeted by the small but clearly well cared for Bonsai tree that sat next to his bed. The tree was expertly maintained with a great deal of care and attention. The matte grey ceramic pot that housed it was simple but elegant as was Neji's preference.

She turned over, brushing her hair from her eyes. Neji was not far away, sitting cross legged on the wooden floor at her side. His long hair grazed the floor moving with the inhale and exhale of steady drawn out breaths. She was sure he could see her if he wanted to. His byakugan was active under his lids as chakra built up at his temples. He could have been watching her that very moment and so she decided to cut her admiration short. It was difficult though. His long hair shone in the afternoon light, the dark brown showing flecks of copper, bronze, and gold depending on the light and the angle the strands fell on his proud broad shoulders. His often stern expression had been replaced by a more serene countenance. Even in rest his strong jaw and aristocratic features gave his face a more serious quality. His facial structure suited his personality and despite the fact that he was often considered to be grumpy and stern she did not find that to be the case when he was with her.

As his lids opened she found a small smile shining back at her. Kami that smile would be the undoing of her. She was sure he had smiled before in other circumstances and yet she could not pin point such an instance where it had occurred without the two of them being one another's primary focus.

Sakura returned it with a bright grin of her own, sitting up amidst a jumble of sheets. Powerful lithe arms stretched over her head while Neji shifted to his knees. By the time her hands dropped down to her sides he was next to her.

"Would you object if I started coming here for naps regularly?" she joked, fiddling with a soft silk edge of cloth. It was not quite the plush expanse of her bed but it had the same quality of comfort. If she had to describe his room in one word it would be serene. The decor was simple and that suited him. She had been surprised when she realised exactly where he was taking her. She thought, surely, that such a visitation would be against the notoriously strict Hyuuga rules but they had not been stopped nor had anyone greeted her with anything other than somber nods.

He had left her to settle in while he acquired a warm cup of tea. When he returned she was hiding under the covers. She had been on missions before where sleeping amidst others was required, but for some reason sleeping in his bed while he was near by made her a little nervous. If he noticed he did not say anything. He simply found his place at the side of the bed and closed his eyes.

She understood the reasoning behind him staying. Without his presence near anyone could disturb her, most likely a Hyuuga elder. Still she thought it odd he would remain quite so close. Slowly another possibility presented itself, one she had been mulling over but was now becoming quite clear.

He wanted to stay close. No one that she knew, outside the Hyuuga family, had seen Neji's private quarters. Team Gai had been to the estate before but neither Tenten nor Lee had ever stepped foot in his actual room. Tenten often joked that this was his private sanctuary, a sentiment Sakura could relate to in regards to her own bedroom. The rest of her apartment was open to anyone that needed it or her healing expertise, but her room was generally off limits.

So she drifted, thinking about what it might all mean. There was one option in particular that she was most interested in, which to her mind was becoming more and more likely as she spent time with him.

She had not been asleep for too long but it had been peaceful and uninterrupted which counted for a great deal. She was finally feeling a bit more like herself. She would feel more so with a few days off where she could recover slowly. Kakashi had probably called Shizune in to cover for her at the hospital. Shizune would appreciate the break from field work for a short time and based on what had happened in the past Sakura would be likely to get a few days off. She needed it.

A quick glance up at the alert nin standing guard over her reminded her of just how much she needed a break from work. She had literally collapsed on him not even full twenty four hours before. Perhaps he would let her repay him for the kindness somehow. Lunch perhaps? Or a home made dinner might be better. She would have to think it over. For now she would just content to spend a bit more time with him.

Neji did not move, pearly purples and blue hues taking in her slightly dishevelled appearance with appreciation. "Not at all," he said, enjoying the crisp smell of apples he was sure would be imbedded in his sheets later that evening. "Your presence would be most welcome."

She was not quite sure what to make of that. He had basically just invited her to stop by his private quarters almost any time she liked. It was an invitation of a most personal and possibly romantic nature and she knew that there was more to it than simply looking after her health. She could see it in his eyes. A lump formed in her throat which she swallowed carefully. In an attempt to cover her blush and elevated heart rate, which she knew he could still see as the chakra at the side of his temples had yet to dissipate, she pulled her legs up underneath her starting to stand. "The next time I pass out I'll know exactly where to go." She could tell he was trying to decide whether to chide her or join in on the joke. In the end he joined her as they moved to stand together.

She bent down to removed his bedding, sure that he would wish to have a fresh set when he went to sleep that evening. His hand reached out to grasp hers, stilling all action or any chance she would have had to remove the sheets.

A sharp rap on the wood of the door announced anothers presence. Neji grunted and the shoji slipped open just enough for Hanabi to stick her head in. "Nii-san, Nee-chan wants you two to go to her house."

"Now?" he queried. It was not like Hinata to demand that he run over. There must have been a reason she wanted to see them. His cousin could be more insistent than most thought. She rarely exercised that part of her personality but when she needed to she could. Lately it had been coming to the fore front more often, a result of being around Naruto a great deal.

Hanabi shrugged. "Seemed that way, " she said, before turning to call back to them over her shoulder as she made her way back to the tea room. "Something about the party."

Neji refrained from frowning even though he wanted to. He had completely forgotten about the get together in his focus on the woman who now stood at his side. "Sakura?" he asked, for if she was not up to going somewhere just yet they would not be going.

Hanabi watched with her back turned and was glad she had given them the semblance of privacy. She had been right. Her Nii-san was doing nothing less than showering the petite Sannin with quiet, distinctly romantic affection. Everything about him was attuned to her, his stance, his well trained eyes, and the warmth in his body language. And Sakura, while slower to pickup on it than Hanabi would have expected, was reacting in kind. The young woman sauntered over towards the tea room. She and her father would have a great deal more to discuss. She doubted her austere father would call it squealing, but they would be going over every nuance of the interaction with a fine toothed comb.

Sakura looked down at their linked hands and felt a burning in her chest. His hand was much larger than hers and the rough callous of his thumb brushed the tops of her knuckles. "I'm game if you are," she announced gently, squeezing his hand. Together they made their way out of the compound, neither attempting to move from the others side.

* * *

End Comments: My GaaraxSaku fic, the rescue, is almost finished and with that I intend to wrap this one up fairly quickly after that. I'd say we are about half way through... possibly a little less than half way. Anyway, my portrayal of Hiashi is leaning more towards the man we see in Boruto. He is not quiet full jii-chan yet but he is getting there. Hanabi is meant to be a little on the devious side. Perhaps Neji inviting Sakura to his room is a little quick and sudden but now that he knows Sakura is not going for Sasuke his is not wasting any time. I know I said that we would be earning the rating in this chapter but this story has gotten longer than I originally anticipated so we will get there but not in this chapter. Or the next one. As always I have no beta reader, so if you find mistakes please forgive me. I do my best. Reviews are SO very appreciated and welcome but no flames please. I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

Authors note: I realise that Hinata my come off a little more outgoing than you might be used to but at the same time she does become more outgoing in the series. I think that being with Naruto has that effect on her in the long run and she has been with him for a while at this point. Also there is no Sasuke bashing intended here. This is just how I think he would react in such a situation and how others around him might see it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

Sakura lifted her hand to knock on the door. The wood and glass had been expertly cleaned and polished. It would be a crime to put finger prints anywhere. So she looked around for the door bell. There was no need for the door swung open excitedly.

Hinata greeted them with bright eyes and a pleased expression. Her byakugan was not active and Sakura had to assume that the demure woman had been waiting for them. "Sakura-chan! Nii-san! come in, please," she said, ushering them into her well kept home. It was a beautiful place covered in warm tones and greenery. It was cozy whilst also being very manicured. The house was a very suitable environment for a future Kage and the family that she knew the pair would be looking to start sooner rather than later.

Sakura and Neji slipped their shoes off before padding down the wooden floors after their host. Sakura smiled as they made their way to the living room. There were pictures everywhere. She spotted some of herself and others of Neji scattered in-between the prominent team photos and the notable snaps of the happy couple. The floors were newly polished and Sakura regretted having stepped all over Hinata's hard work. She sped up her pace to catch up to the classic beauty, squeezing her shoulders gently. "Hinata-chan, it looks great!"

The Uzumaki bride's dainty smile was endearing as she clasped her hands before chest. "Thank you. I still have somethings to do," she admitted looking around the house, going over her mental checklist. It was such a change for all of them, but one that was most anticipated. Hinata's words confirmed Neji's earlier thought process. She needed them to help with the party set up, a task he was more than willing to assist with.

Sakura took the opportunity to scan the area in more detail and noticed that it was oddly quiet. Naruto must have been out. With the housewarming the next day she would have expected him to be there at his wife's side as he usually was in such situations. There were no shadow clones either, which could only mean one thing really. Sasuke had managed to convince Naruto to spar with him. "Where is that husband of yours when you need him, hm?" she teased nudging her honorary sister-in-law, at least they all saw the two women's relationship as such, with her shoulder. Hinata giggled lightly having long since gotten used to Sakura's teasing of her energetic husband. All three entered the living room and Sakura cracked her knuckles before stretching out her arms. "Never mind, you've got us. Just send me where you need me."

Neji closed his eyes, moving to stand next to his enthusiastic companion. She felt his presence at her side and could not help the imperceptible rise of her cheeks; imperceptible to most but not lost on the other two in the room. "Hn," Neji grunted, verbally acknowledging his willingness to help. Hinata lifted a hand to show them a pile of decorations that Sakura recognised from a quick excursion with Naruto between hospital shifts a few weeks before. Without needing further instruction she stepped up to the pile and began to sift through it. Together she and Neji began a quiet organising and stratagizing session. Sakura told him what she thought and he nodded along.

Hinata regarded the pair with a secret smile. She wondered if Sakura had fully realised the effect she was having on the tall nin at her side. He was positively smitten. She had noticed some time before that he was more attentive to Sakura than others, but now it was clear that the whole world could have been crashing around him and it still would not have torn him from the simple conversation he was having with the beautiful woman.

"Hinata-chan!" The shout announced a new presence at the door and brought all of their attentions to the hall where a blonde head of air bounded their way.

Hinata frowned lightly. "Naruto-kun, I thought you were training," she said, pointing to the muddy sandals he had a forgotten to remove.

Naruto bashfully slipped his fingers into the back of his shoes and pulled them off, noting that he would need to clean up the footprints he had left in his wake. "We were but Sasuke got a summons to see Kakashi-sensei," he said flipping his dirty shoes into the sullen and agitated face of his sparing partner who sharply slapped away his hand.

Hinata immediately straightened her back, her displeasure at the mess replaced by intrigue. "Oh? Then you might want to clean up before you go," she said in a gently suggestive tone. The dark haired woman was paying close attention to Sakura, who had noticed the new arrivals and swiftly gotten back to the task at hand.

And the new comers to the little makeshift party Hinata found herself hosting had noticed who was there. For Naruto it was a case of the more the merrier, but Sasuke was less than enthusiastic. While seeing Sakura at least once a day, preferably more than that, had become his new goal, he did not wish to see Hyuuga Neji anywhere near her person. Upon taking the sight of them in his face soured drastically. How many times had he gone to see Sakura now, only to find her monopolised by the hunter nin? Too many and it only furthered his increasingly foul mood. Naruto did not notice and shoved his tense partner down the hall. "Yeah Teme, the bathroom is down the hall and to the left."

"You too Naruto-kun," Hinata reminded him, knowing he would forget and sit down on the new couch without a second thought. The jinchuriki nodded seriously and marched upstairs to the restroom adjacent to their bedroom.

"Sakura?" Neji asked looking for some sort of reassurance as he went about scattering brightly colored confetti on a table cloth that had been set up for the occasion.

Bright green eyes inspected his hand work keenly. "That is perfect," she said gracing him with a warm smile. Hinata watched her body language, taking into account how close they stood together and the way that Sakura subconsciously kept turning her shoulders towards Neji. It had also not escaped her notice that they both silently checked in with one another regularly, sending fleeting glances in each others direction. It was sweet and she recalled doing exactly the same thing when she and Naruto had first started dating.

A few minutes later the sound of foot steps, one set quiet and the other loudly treading on the stairs, announced that the boys were back from their quick clean up sessions. They entered the room, Sasuke stopping at the door while Naruto walked over to place a kiss on his wife's cheek. Watching the color rise on her pale skin never got old. When he turned his attentions to their guests he found that while two of them were perfectly content with the tasks at hand, the third stood glowering in the doorway, a dark aura pushing off of him in waves. Naruto let out a short huff. That was not going to win Sasuke any points with Sakura. It was this sort of hovering that had gotten him in trouble in the first place. And while Sakura had already expressed her annoyance at the new habit more than once or twice, Naruto was pretty sure that they would not be seeing it for a while.

"So Teme, you thinking of leaving us again?" Naruto asked crossing his arms over his chest and sticking his nose up. It was more than a mere suspicion or guess. He was almost positive that his best friend was leaving but he wanted to know for sure. After all the steps they had been making to help along Sasuke's relationship with Sakura, it would be a waste for him to throw it all away now. Naruto knew better than most why Sakura had given up on her childhood crush. Crippling disappointment had marred her view of him. He was always leaving and never gave her the sort of assurances she needed. But this time Sasuke had finally said something. Even so Naruto knew them and he was afraid that Sakura would never get past it if Sasuke left now. The shift of dark eyes away from them told Naruto he was right. "He's thinking of leaving us again," he said flatly, expressing his own dissapointment quite clearly in his hardened blue eyes.

Sakura turned her head to her old teammates and shrugged. "It's a mission, Naruto. I'm sure it's important."

"Nothing is decided," Sasuke said waiting for a sign from Sakura that she understood. What he found was that she had already returned to her task, head held high. The Hyuuga male was watching her with a gentle reassurance that radiated off of the pair.

They did look like a pair, Sasuke realized, standing shoulder to shoulder before the window. Sakura was more somber now than she had been moments before but she still had a warmth to the way she was turned ever so slightly towards the tall man at her side. Battle worn hands crossed into Sakura's space and much to his surprise she did not object, rather her smile came back as the two continued to decorate, speaking in hushed tones like they were sharing secrets. He did not like it.

"You have to get to Kakashi-sensei's office right? I should check in too," Naruto stated moving to go back to the hall. He had not been to the Kage building in a few days, Kakashi being generous enough to let him set up his house and plan his party. It was almost time to get back into the swing of things, start his lessons again- for the lessons on being a Kage were never over- and help out their sensei where he could. He zipped up his jacket against the cold. He did not really want to leave but they had only intended to pit stop before heading out again anyway.

"Dinner," Saskue said, the word coming out clipped as he glared in the direction of broad shoulders that partially hid his view of Sakura's more diminutive stature.

"Ichiraku's?" Naruto queried suddenly much more interested than he had been. He clapped his hands together excitedly and slung and arm around Sasuke's shoulders. "You're paying." He demanded before turning bashfully to his wife. "Is that alright Hinata-chan?"

"Of course. Have fun!" she called from the fridge, quite relieved to have Naruto away from the kitchen for a time. He had a bad habit of eating things she had made for other events as he wandered about cleaning. On top of that she normally would have reminded him that he had in fact just returned from Ichiraku's after a late lunch but it suited her purposes for him to be away and therefore decided to say nothing. He was always eating due to his ridiculously high metabolism and the worn in ramen stand eased the amount of work she had to do to keep him healthy. Besides fresh ramen was better than the instant varieties he was also fond of. There was also the matter of her Nii-san and his new endeavor to get to the bottom of, a goal that would be much simpler without Naruto and Sasuke milling about.

Naruto dumped his frog wallet on the hall table and began to strap his sandals back on. Sasuke was ready to go and leaned against the door frame as he watched the ANBU captain from the corner of his eye. He did not like how close their shoulders were nor how comfortable Sakura appeared in the others mans presence. He intended to do something about it. "Hyuuga?" he called expectantly, surprising everyone with the invitation.

Neji turned his shoulders slightly allowing them to view the side of his face and they could all feel the ambivalence in his regard. "I am here to help Hinata-sama and Sakura."

Sasuke glared. The way her name flowed off the ANBU captains lips with no honorific was pissing him off. It was too familiar, and worse Sakura had yet to object to it. To date he, Sasuke, had been the only man with the privilege of using her name in such a manner without repercussion. Neji stared back at the Uchiha unfazed by his clear displeasure, and Sasuke could feel the desire to challenge the obstinate male before him rise in his chest. This Hyuuga had somehow managed to place himself in-between he and Sakura. It demanded some sort of response. "Ah."

Sakura had already begun to hang things and held one end of a banner in her hand, extending the other side out. "Neji, could you help me with this?" she asked taking a few chakra enforced steps up the wall to reach the desired point. Shinny lettering fell between them in what would soon spell 'congratulations'.

The Hyuuga male allowed a smug tug on his lips to show before turning his back on a man that was tempted to skin him alive. "As you can see my presence is required." The words reached Sasuke's ears and he heard the 'yours is not' that had been left unsaid. The insufferable Hyuuga always had been the best at implying what he wished without having to voice it, or at least it seemed that way to Sasuke who had the opposite problem. He never could get across exactly what he wanted with out confusing people. Normally he would not have cared, but when it came to Sakura it had clearly done some damage.

"Neji's great, isn't he," Naruto said, crossing his arms over his chest with a wide grin. The whiskers on his face were scrunched up in the way they alway did when he was overly pleased or proud and Sasuke did not want to deal with the repercussions of arguing with the man.

He turned sharply leaving a confused Naruto in his wake. "Lets go," he said before stalking out of the house with his jovial friend jogging to catch up.

* * *

Hinata kneaded the already finished dough that she had been preparing and focused on her companion who was meticulously setting out plastic plates and forks for the next days festivities. She had heard the familiarity her Nii-san had addressed the Sannin with. He did not do that for just anyone; as a matter of fact no one to date had earned that privilege. And to hear it reciprocated by Sakura was just as shocking, as the colorful woman always addressed everyone with curtsy, except for Naruto. More shocking still was finding Sakura securely bundled up in her cousins private quarters. No one was allowed in there. The threshold of his room was tantamount to a brick wall, and yet Sakura had clearly been nestled into his sheets while he stood by protecting her from unwanted guests.

It was adorable really. Of course she had known that her beloved Nii-san liked Sakura. Hinata might even go so far as to say that he had serious feelings for the skilled medic. In spite of this the Uzumaki bride had never gotten her hopes up. Until today. She had seen the open adoration Neji held for her and Sakura had not pulled away from it; she had leaned into it. Now Hinata was determined, possibly as determined as Neji himself, that she would see them happy, preferably together.

That was not to say she would not have been happy for Sakura to be with Sasuke, if that was what her friend still wanted. Hinata liked him well enough, but she loved her Nii-san. Compared to Neji- at least in her eyes- Sasuke fell short. And she hoped that to be the case for Sakura as well. Neji was always quite serious and based on what she had just seen he was already courting Sakura, even if the young woman had not realised it yet. She would soon enough.

"Sakura-chan, I hear you and Sasuke-san are having difficulties." She had heard that, not just from Naruto but others as well. Now she was seeing it too. It was a welcome change to see Sakura doing something other than moon after the sullen Uchiha, a change Hinata had noticed during a short visit by Sasuke almost a year ago. Ironically she suspected it was that very change that had prompted Sasuke's sudden interest in Sakura. Without her at his elbow all the time he had been able to see who she really was, and she was undeniably attractive. People wanted to be around her, and Sasuke was no exception. If Sakura had noticed the change she said nothing. Instead when Sasuke left again she continued as ever towards her goals, pleased to see him to be sure, but she had not allowed his presence to change her schedule. In the past she would have dropped everything to be at his beck and call.

Thus Sasuke had visited Konoha a few more times over the past year, until this last visit. It did not take a genius to figure out why he was there. Sakura suddenly found him everywhere and Hinata had noticed a growing confusion and irritation at having Sasuke shadowing her moves. Then after about a month of following her around silently he had made his proposal. No one knew exactly what had been said but they all knew the outcome. If anything a denial had made the Uchiha more persistent, which is where they found themselves until a day ago. Suddenly the last Uchiha was on his own, seething and sulking as he went through his routine, and was thwarted from seeing Sakura at every turn. It appeared that something, or someone, had been getting in Sasuke's way.

"That baka..." Sakura rolled her eyes letting out a long deep sigh. Hinata grimaced. Naruto must have been meddling again. She had heard about it all from the horses mouth. She had warned him after he sent Ino to speak with Sakura that eventually the female of Team Seven would tire of it all. It seemed she had been right. Sakura was about ready to punch Hinata's well meaning husband through several walls. Sakura had been working on being calmer in general and as such took a couple of deep breaths before continuing. "There is nothing difficult about it really. Sasuke just didn't like my decision."

The dark haired beauty hid the pleased crinkle of her eyes behind her bangs. "I see," she said, still keeping up the pretense of cooking. The dough she had been kneading would need to be remade when her guests left for the day as she had long since over tended it. One batch of ruined dough was worth keeping the ease of the room. "I must say I was surprised to find you with my Nii-san earlier."

Sakura peaked over at her only to quickly return to her task as she fiddled with the plastic cups. "He's been taking care of me today... and yesterday. I think he wants to thank me for healing him a couple of days ago." She chewed her bottom lip in uncertainty, either at his intentions or at her hesitation to admit what she was seeing Hinata could not say, but the hostess was more than happy to clear up the confusion.

"Sakura-chan, I think we both know that's not it. Well, not all of it," she said with that secret smile back in full. Sakura was not sure what exactly Hinata knew that she did not, but it was clear that there was something. Her all knowing stare had caught something that Sakura had guessed at but could not fully confirm with absolute certainty. Hinata waited for Sakura to read the truth that shone out from opal before gigging lightly at her cousins expense. "My Nii-san is a respectable man but his general courtesy has never extended this far. Not for anyone and certainly not for professional reasons."

A small inhale denoted that realisation had set in as Sakura set the last of her items down. "I sort of knew that," she admitted shyly. Hinata did not know when Sakura had become so good at hiding her blushes but it would do her no good in the upcoming days. If she could see it Neji definitely could and was no doubt using the subtle clue to forge ahead in his endeavour.

Hinata chided herself. There was more to it than that. Neji was reading a great deal more than blushes.

The pair had been quite close, close enough to touch each other regularly which was not something either would normally do. Had Sakura been bothered by it at all she would have said so. It was not like her to remain quite when uncomfortable. That too had fueled Neji. It was also the main reason for Sasuke's supreme discomfort and, dare she say it, jealousy.

Regardless, it had nothing to do with Sasuke really. With Sakura's firm and continuously reinforced 'no' established, the other man should have backed down gracefully, or at least that was Hinata's opinion. She was biased to be sure but that did not change the fact that Sasuke was being petulant. His persistence was doing more harm than good at this point and it was becoming painful to watch. Some time away from Konoha might do him a world of good and it would certainly do wonders for Sakura. It would give her time to process and time to decide what she wanted.

Hinata knew that Sakura did not know how to proceed. While she had denied Sasuke's advances, she also had no intention of hurting him. At the same time being so close to Neji was not an opportunity she was going to turn down. It was going to be tricky and they all knew that someone would end up disappointed in this, but that should not have influenced Sakura's decision. Sakura always put everyone else first but Hinata hoped that this time would be different.

"Do what's best for you. Don't worry about anyone else," Hinata advised quietly, sending her friend reassurance. She was glad to finally be able to return the favor. In the years before Naruto had noticed his attraction to her, it had been Sakura who had encouraged and supported her at every impasse. Now it was Hinata's turn to do the same. "We just want to see you happy."

Sakura felt the warm tone reach over and envelop her. Hinata always had a way of making a person feel cared for. She knew that the gentle soul spoke the truth but also knew that there were those close to her that held onto certain images in their mind. "Naruto..." she began before trailing off, not really sure how to continue.

Hinata shrugged lightly. She loved her husband dearly, but he could be more stubborn than anyone else she knew. He was still convinced that Sakura's happiness could only be accomplished one way. Hinata knew differently and soon enough Naruto would see it too. "He is sentimental in many ways. What he really wants is for you to be happy. We all do." Hinata set aside her dough with a firm slap and began to clean her hands. "It's about time for dinner. Nii-san will be back any second. Could you grab that pot?" She pointed at a shiny rounded pot that was clearly new which rested not too far off. Sakura recognised the set as one she had helped them pick out in preparation for moving out.

Sakura gladly obliged flipping the kettle on as she passed it. Her own cooking had certainly gotten better over the years. Practice had proven to be essential for her as her culinary skills had been lacking initially. Even though she enjoyed her own food now, she would not deny that Hinata was a superior chef when it came to traditional dishes.

Hinata heard the door open and turned on the stove. Neji padded silently into the kitchen with all of the ingredients she had requested for the hot pot. She also noticed some jasmine tea in the bag he handed over and found that Sakura was grabbing the more traditional style of mugs from the cabinet, the ones that Neji had bought for them in fact. Hinata hid her mirth by turning her back. Her Nii-san was already looking for the honey to sweeten up Sakura's tea and she wondered if they knew how attuned to each other they were.

* * *

The walk home was quiet and Sakura was pleased to find that despite having not brought a jacket with her, as she had not anticipated being out so late, having Neji at her side was almost like having a small heater next to her. He was warm and after he had noticed the chill in the air he immediately extend his arm, inviting her into his space. He would have given her a jacket but sadly he too had not expected to be out this late into the evening.

It was one of those clear crisp nights that tended to foreshadow the start of fall, which meant she was going to have to get out her warmer clothes and heftier duvet. She was already planning on fixing up some of her famous spiced cider. She recalled that Neji had enjoyed it in years past when he had tried it, one of the few alcoholic drinks she had ever seen him consume. She was contemplating whether to make him a sachet of mulling herbs so that he could brew some for the Hyuugas or invite him over to share a batch of her own.

The palm which cupped her elbow rose to rest on the outside of her arm sending an electric shock that coursed through her system and left a pleasant buzzing sensation where his hand remained. She bit her bottom lip in anticipation. Inviting him over sounded like a much better idea. She was sad to see her apartment door drawing ever nearer. As much as she wanted to stay out or invite him in, she knew that sleep would descend upon her the minute she was in range of her bed. Another full nights sleep was just what the doctor ordered.

The leaves in a near by tree shook and Sakura felt the familiar presence of a friend approaching rapidly. "Yo Sakura-chan!" The deep voice was hard to forget and it sounded before he was fully visible. The navy blue vest he wore did its job and blended him expertly into the darkened surroundings. His little paws, tiny ears, and miniature clothes were in complete contrast to his gravely voice and deadpanned expression.

"Pakkun, you look exhausted," she said taking in the fact that he was droopier than usual. His wrinkles appeared more deep set, particularly around the eyes.

"Kakashi is running me ragged," the little ninken moaned with a huff. He fanned his paw back and forth to stretch out the muscles. Most would not have guessed but with those he knew well Pakkun could be rather dramatic. What he was really looking for was a quick scratch behind the ears and a sympathetic soul to listen to him.

Sakura stepped forward with a giggle to pet the pug on the head. "I'll have a chat with him," she promised before moving her nails to scratch his upturned chin. The thump of his back paw against his rib cage sounded briefly and Sakura knew he was pleased. "Mission?" Her query brought a halt to the movement of his back leg and he attempted to regain some of his professionalism.

"No, a notice. He wants you to take the week off." The deep voice rumbled in the night as he dropped his rear end down onto the cold concrete, instantly regretting it.

Her head tilted to the side. "A whole week?" she echoed back in excitement. She was not usually one to look forward to time off but a few days rest would be divine and also give her the chance to get to know the man standing next to her better.

The downturned jowls reached to his vest and retrieved a small piece of paper, handing it to her before he relayed further information that was not listed on the scrap. "See how you feel in a few days but yeah. Shizune is in the emergency ward. She is only to contact you if she has no other choice."

Sakura chuckled at his pointed stare. "Alright, I get it. I need a break," she said with a smile before turning towards the apartment they and been approaching. Pakkun had been there many times before for one reason or other and knew what her vague gesture was referring to. "You want to come in for a quick snack?"

"Maybe later Sakura-chan. I gotta run." The ninken stood once more and neither nin failed to notice the small pouch on his vest that was filled with little scribbled commands that had yet to be passed out.

Sakura patted him on the head, something few people were allowed to do with out retaliation. "I'll leave you a refresher on the front porch then." She did not bother to ask if he would pick up the treat. She knew he would find a way to stop by in-between his other duties for a nice cut of beef.

"Thanks Saku-chan," Pakkun called over his shoulder and then took off over the roof tops to his next destination.

"Well, that was a pleasent surprise," she said turning to find her quiet companion near by. Together they walked up the stairs to her apartment. Her key slid into the lock and turned with a loud click. Her hand reached to for the knob but then stilled.

She did not want to go in. It was not that her little abode had changed in any way but she found that she was not ready to say goodbye to the captain whose presence had settled itself behind her when she began to open the door. She needed more sleep, but large part of her wanted to delay that for as long as possible.

Her breath hitched and she turned her head to find his hand reaching out for hers. She took in the sight of their hands linked together between them. An excitement coursed through her veins and she waited in anticipation for the words she could see forming on his lips. "While your schedule is free, may I see you tomorrow?"

A bright smile lit up her features, one that she found reflected back at her through the soft light of a near by street lamp. It seemed she was not the only one loath to leave the night behind. He had no intention of doing so without the promise of spending more time with her.

"Lunch, some light training, and then the party?" she asked hopefully. Perhaps it was presumptive to assume he wanted to spend the day with her but she would never know unless she asked. She had enjoyed her time with him immensely and had hopes to continue getting to know the ANBU captain better the next day as well.

The world might as well have stopped around her when his lips parted to flash a pleased grin as he stepped up to her. When he got this close, so close that she could have leaned forward to rest on his chest, it became hard to think particularly when he sported such a warm expression. "I'll stop by at 11:30." He lifted the back of her hand to his lips for a quick chaste kiss that lingered on her knuckles, all the while his molten gaze never left hers and she found that a rush of exhilaration pool in her chest where it settled.

Slowly he receded, allowing her to head into her apartment with the promise of another day spent together still echoing around them. As she turned to close her door he caught a glimpse of something inviting and tempting in her big green eyes. And he was so tempted to walk over the threshold and kiss her, but there would be plenty of time for that. Tonight he wanted her to rest and recuperate. There was no rush. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable in anyway. So he would wait until she was ready. Only when the lock clicked and he was sure she was safe inside her home did he leave for the Hyuuga estate, with a proud and pleased grin held high in the moon light for any and all to see.

* * *

End Comments: And there we have it. Sakura is finally admitting what she is seeing. I decided to slow down somethings that were happening because we have only been following them for a little over 48 hours at this point. I anticipate that there will be two more chapters to this, possibly three. The next chapter will have more action of a few varieties. I will start the next chapter ASAP. I also have a few other fics to get out, not least of which is the wrap up of Breath of Fresh Air. For any of you who have been waiting for that through my hiatus I promise it is coming. It might take me a little while but it is happening. I am working on it and some other things as we speak. As always do forgive any mistakes you find. I have no beta reader but I try my best to edit. Reviews make my day and fuel my writing but please no flames. Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Not much to say really. This is our penultimate chapter to this fic and I hope to have the last one out shortly. As promised we have action of all sorts here. Therefore I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

Sakura took a long deep breath in through her nose and slowly exhaled through pursed lips in a steady rhythm that was soothing and familiar. It had been ages since she had run through any of her katas. When he had initially suggested it she had been somewhat skeptical but willing. Their styles were very different and she thought they might have difficulty syncing their movements, but she quickly discovered that he knew many of the ones that were still ingrained in her memory from training.

Once they had begun, the movements became fluid and they matched each others pace naturally. It almost seemed like a dance that they were completely in tune for. After each set they took a small break to enjoy the sun that shone down on them. She could not have planned a more relaxing day and she was glad she had the forethought to pack two large thermoses of tea, one sweet and the other not. Every break they took was accompanied by a small but warm cup of tea, a touch she knew he appreciated.

The last set of moves was a fluid flurry before they both simultaneously settled into the closing stance, arms coming to their sides at the same time. She turned her face to find his already angled in her direction. Sakura grinned and together they stepped forward to where their little makeshift picnic was waiting for them.

They each poured their drinks as they settled into the soft yellow threads of her well loved blanket. A breeze floated through the training ground bringing the faint sounds of a target being hit and a splash of water from the river near by with it. It was the sort of afternoon that made her want to hum a song and cook all of her favorite foods. And some of his when she discovered what they were.

That was part of why she was so pleased with her decision to bring the tea. The look on his face when she had opened the door that morning and he realised what she held aloft to him was priceless and she would not be forgetting it any time soon. She had received such a surge of quiet gratitude from him that she could hardly believe it had stemmed from a simple gesture like making him a thermos of his favorite drink. Even so, she was happy to see it.

She had thought about what Hinata said all night and with him standing in her doorway the heart thumping reality hit her square in the face. Hyuuga Neji was attempting to sweep her off her feet. And he was succeeding.

She was excited and more than a little nervous but in an instant he had wiped away any anxiety she had been holding onto. All it had taken was his hand firmly grasping hers and that tension transformed into the warm flutter of anticipatory butterflies in her stomach. She was not sure how he always managed to do that, but even now as she sat next to him there was something soothing and thrilling about being near him.

"This is so nice," she hummed in between small sips of the steaming liquid. It was true that they were on the cusp of autumn, but with the afternoon sun shining down on them she would not have guessed it. The occasional gust of light wind blew through taking away the sting of the heat. Even so she could feel the crispness in the air that reminded her of lazy days under the kotatsu eating apples and watching her mother cook big pots of stew. This would be summers final heyday before they plunged headlong into the drizzle and cold that seeped into ones bones, which had been on display days before. She intended to make the most of the nice weather while it lasted.

"Hn." She was quickly becoming fond of that little grunt he was so attached to. Unlike other versions she had heard, Neji's wordless acknowledgement always had a warm quality to it. At least it did when it was directed at her, and she could honestly say that she was quickly picking up on the varying intonations that he used. He did not hide what he thought. He just happened to be less vocal about it, but if one knew what to look for then he was refreshingly open.

Sakura smiled gently as she leaned her weight against his. "We should do this more often." She truly meant that. She had not had such a relaxing day in quite a while. He had showed up at her door, giving her plenty of time to lounge about in her pajamas and drink her coffee before getting dressed for the day. Hand in hand they had meandered towards the training grounds with their blanket and tea in tow, chatting away, or rather she was chatting and he was listening for the most part. Still he paid attention and added to the conversation when he had something to say. There was no awkwardness, just eager interest. They picked up bentos from his vendor and together they blissfully continued through their afternoon at a leisurely pace.

"When ever you like," he agreed pushing a curtain of pink back behind her ear and tucking a small flower he had managed to find earlier into place. It was a small thing really but the pretty blue petals had caught his eye while they were gliding through their training earlier. He had thought it would be fetching and he had been right. The light that it brought to her features engulfed his being. The calloused pad of his thumb grazed the soft skin of her jaw and he could not help the swell of pride that filled his chest when a small sigh of satisfaction escaped her. As a sign of his own appreciation the arm she had been leaning on came up to hold her to his side, the palm of his hand resting on the skin of her bare arm.

A barely audible giggle sounded into the air and he took in the sight of her. Long legs were on display under her red tunic and fetching little black shorts. The sun brought out the facets within her eyes and showed off the strikingly beautiful qualities of her unique coloration. He was determined to remember the way she looked now, for while he was sure she would be just as endearing in winter attire, the sun suited her and he had never able to witness it's effect on her at such close proximity. He was both fascinated and in awe, and he did not care who knew it. Thankfully she seemed equally smitten with him, a fact that threatened to swell his pride to unhealthy levels.

"Hey guys!" The shout turned both of their heads towards the quickly approaching mass of orange and blonde. Naruto waved enthusiastically at them as both he and his darker companion crested over the hill to where the blanket they had set up sat comfortably on the green grass. "You're both coming to the party tonight, right?"

"Of course," Neji said lifting the cup from the blanket to his lips for the final sip of tea. The metal top he drank out of found its way back onto the thermos soundlessly. He was not necessarily agitated at Naruto's arrival, but he did wish the man had been alone. As it stood Neji could not seem to go anywhere without being tailed by the last Uchiha. It was irksome but he would tolerate Sasuke if it meant that he got to be around Sakura as they sat now, her tucked into his person with so much trust it was dizzying.

Sakura tiled her head to side, allowing her cherry pink locks to pool onto his shoulder. Full lips curled in an amused grin as she regarded the blonde. "Why on earth wouldn't we be?"

Naruto had been around her long enough to know when one of her questions was rhetorical and thus waved her off in a self deprecating manner. It appeared that he was not just asking to ask. A strained aura surrounded the two old friends and unless Sakura was much mistaken they had been arguing over something. The barely perceptible twitch of Sasuke's features and the scrunched pout on Naruto's tan cheeks told her the truth even before the jinchuriki moved to continue. "I'm trying to convince Teme," he announced with a pronounced scowl. "He's going to head out before it starts."

She had thought something like this might happen, although she had to admit that she had not afforded said thought much concern. What Sasuke chose to do was his business and while she never liked to see Naruto or Hinata disappointed there was very little she could do once the stubborn man made up his mind about something. So she remained where she was calmly and did her best to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"I presume it's because he has no other choice..." she trailed off waiting for some sort of acknowledgement one way or the other. She did, though not a verbal one. Sasuke sniffed and diverted his gaze ever so slightly, something only a few would have picked up on. Sakura and Naruto had both known him long enough to read the truth. He could stay for the party but had no intention of doing so. Sakura could not say that her expectations had been any different. He had never been one for large gatherings and tended to steer clear of people in general. She was not going to judge him for it; it was an integral part of who he was. She finished her tea and placed the top back on the her thermos as she shrugged. "Ah. Well, it's his decision. Don't worry, we'll be there."

There was a solemn nod followed by one with more vigor as the Kage in waiting took in their surroundings. With the tea and a carefully spread out blanket it looked like a picnic, but they were on the training grounds so he put the pieces together. They must have decided to have lunch in-between sparing sessions or the like. "Training?" he asked eagerly. This looked like the kind of training he could endorse right now instead of the rigorous sparring session he had expected. Tea and taking in the afternoon sun was exactly what his poor aching bones needed, since sitting on the couch was out of the question whilst Sasuke was in Konoha.

Neji nodded, the deep baritone of his voice reverberating though her ribcage in a most pleasant and thrilling manner. "Yes, a light session."

"Exactly. No need to push ourselves too hard just yet," she stated jovially, enjoying her hard earned week of rest. She already had a plan for the remainder of it and, assuming he was willing, it involved the man at her side.

The intruders eyed the cozy pair with very different reactions. Naruto remained oblivious to the close proximity but Sasuke did not. He did not appreciate the way their legs were resting flush against each other. Nor did he appreciate the way Sakura was perfectly content with the strong arm that had found itself wrapped around her shoulder as she rested peacefully in Neji's embrace. Worse yet it was not posturing on Neji's part; they had been even more snuggled up before Naruto had announced their presence. He could not be sure if she had instigated this set up but he did not care. Ultimately she was not objecting. Rather she seemed quite happy about where she was, more so before they had interrupted. Something Sasuke refused to identify caused his chest to seize up and the discomfort it created told him he needed to take action and quickly.

Sadly the Hyuuga male was not looking at him. Hyuuga Neji was soley focused on Sakura, taking in every word she said with a gentle expression, a fact that Sasuke had noticed she appreciated. She pointed a nimble finger, which had been manicured only this morning in a pretty light pink that matched her hair- something she rarely did- behind her to where they had been standing only moments before. "Neji and I were just running through some katas."

A wide toothy grin caused the whiskers in Naruto's cheeks to twitch and spread as a twinkle of recollection brightened his expression to the one they were all so familiar with. "It's been ages since I've done anything like that. We were just going to spar before he leaves. You wanna join us?" Naruto asked in excitement. It had been a while since he had been able to train with anyone other than Sasuke since the elusive nin had arrived back in the village.

Sasuke raised his brow in challenge, a cocky smirk that brought back memories from when they were young tugging at the corners of his eyes and lips. "Hyuuga?"

Neji was not phased. He had been expecting something like this to occur. Admittedly he thought the man would have more tact than to issue a challenge in front of Sakura. He felt the medic stiffen at his side and he agreed with her sentiment, but he was not going to let Sasuke know that. "My doctor told me to take it easy." The cool statement brought a small smile to Sakura's cheeks that lit up her eyes in a most becoming way.

That smile slipped at the scoff that rocked their peaceful afternoon. "Sounds like an excuse to me." Sasuke had always been snarky and combative. This time was proving to be no different. Even so, she was quite surprised at the venom that leaked out into his countenance. She had never seen him jealous, she had also never given him cause to be. In her youth she had fantasised over such an occurrence but maturity showed how truly unbecoming the emotion was, and she found that it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

She stared into onyx trying her best to show him how displeased she was that he was attempting to instigate a pissing contest all over her lovely afternoon but he was not paying her any attention. His eyes bored into their opal counterparts, which now started back at him incredulously. "Neji and I are both still recovering," she explained, eager to shut down the growing issue as quickly as possible.

Naruto shrugged in response. "It's just a light spar. Nobody's going all out." As much as he enjoyed fighting his old teammate, he intended to use this opportunity to occupy the man for a short time. Sasuke was down right relentless when it came to sparring and he had been his friends primary challenger for about three months. He wanted a break. He had a party to host later and sparring with Sasuke always took it out of him. And who better to occupy the Uchiha's time then Neji, who Naruto knew from personal experience would be able to defend against any highly specialised attacks. "Right Teme?" Sasuke nodded in response moving further into the field.

Sakura's eyes narrowed suspiciously. This was not a good idea. Of that much she was certain but she was also not going to stop them. Amongst nins it was often seen as cowardly and somewhat rude to withdraw from a fight, particularly a friendly one. And it was not the physical fight that had her concerned; she knew Neji could handle himself in a brawl. The problem was that she knew where this might lead and where it stemmed from. Sasuke did not like to be displaced or shown up and she was growing increasingly more concerned that her old teammate was attempting to force the Hyuuga male to pull back from her, something she most certainly did not want.

Neji did not move, instead choosing to check in with her. He was not keen on the circumstances but he had never been one to turn down a challenge, and if he was honest he had always been interested in sparring the reclusive nin. He was not likely to get a better opportunity to test his skill against the man. Even so he would if she asked him to. She did not, choosing instead to squeeze his hand, knowing that he could handle himself. Together they came to a silent agreement, a fact that caused dark eyes to narrow further in their direction.

Neji moved to stand and Sakura followed, planting herself on equal footing with Naruto, the more colourful members of Team 7 ready to serve as referees. "No chakra," she insisted with a voice of steel aimed more at Sasuke than Neji. She was sceptical of his motives and she was not afraid of him finding that out.

Silently the two men squared off, Neji briefly inclining his head to denote that he was ready. Sasuke gave no such sign but that was to be expected. He never had been one for convention or formalities.

For the first few blows Sakura thought that perhaps her concerns had been unfounded. Both men were moving slowly, testing the waters and getting a feel for the situation. Gradually the feel of the fight shifted. Sasuke's booted foot connected harshly with Neji's forearm and both men glared at each other. Sasuke's fingers twitched subtly and Neji was immediately wary. The strikes increased, one following after the other in rapid succession all aimed at Neji's vitals and the ANBU captain was forced to get serious. The outside edge of his open hand caught Sasuke's wrist, pushing his hand to the side while his other hand snapped out barely missing a sensitive gap between ribs.

It was not too long before the glimmer of red behind shimmering black tresses had them all on edge and Neji instantly activated his byakugan in preparation. Sasuke was faster than him but he had spent many years training with Lee who was arguably the fastest of them all. A slew of punches and kicks were thrown in his direction only to be met by the gentle brush of his limbs pushing the attacks off target.

Neji waited patiently. The agreement of 'no chakra' had clearly just been broken and he could see Sakura expression quickly plummeting deeper. Neji expertly dodged the preparation for an attack he knew well, one that Lee had used many a time in practice. Getting frustrated at the fact that his fits were not landing, Sasuke's speed picked up noticeably. An enforced punch was met by a blue flicker of chakra that did not push back but merely halted advancement. The same happened with the uppercut to the jaw and a sweep that attempted to pull Neji's legs out from under him.

A black shadow jumped out of range. The moment his feet landed on the ground his hand reached into his travel weary pouch. An onslaught of shuriken sailed through the air at their target. Neji dodged most in a fluid dance while blocking the others. The clatter of metal slamming against flares of chakra shield brought the travelling shinobi closer in once more.

"Naruto," she began hesitantly. The fight before her was quickly escalating, a fact she was severely uncomfortable with. It did not appear to be a friendly fight to her. There was an element of aggression coming from Sasuke that made her want to step in. She would have, had it not been for the fact that she knew the lauded and heavily decorated ANBU captain was perfectly capable of defending himself. He was doing so now with a calm and cool that she wished she had. Watching him fight, the way his chakra was distributed through his system and expertly controlled, was incredible. True, she was a master of chakra control but she very rarely pushed said chakra outside her body. Neji did so as if he was breathing, every step he took and parry he made a testament to his dedication to his craft.

Naruto closed his eyes with a strained smile in an attempt to pacify her. "Don't worry, Teme is just excited," he explained dubiously as Neji dodged and deflected a another slew of shuriken accompanied by a kunai aimed at his jugular. "I think."

The Hyuuga genius narrowed his eyes. He knew that Sasuke was not taking it easy nor was he fighting full out but they were quickly headed towards the latter. It was only a matter of time before Sasuke evaluated his movements and things got even more serious. Sure enough Neji saw the point of the kunai that Sauske had been holding disappear for an instant and reappear, testing what Neji's limits were. The ANBU captain began to move his feet more and turn his head as he always did whilst in serious battle. The razor sharp tip of the kunai grazed his hair line and he heard Sakura gasp. Broad shoulders twisted and he jabbed chakra laden fingers into Sasuke's flesh.

The sound of lighting resonated in the field and Sakura felt the shift in the air as she launched forward in a flash to where the ANBU captain crouched in a defensive stance. The electrically charged palm struck down onto Neji's revolving kaiten with a resounding boom. The earth shook under their feet and when Neji stopped spinning Sasuke's venomous stare greeted the unscathed nin.

A trickle of blood from the detailed pattern in his left eye was all the warning Sakura needed. "Sasuke!" she shouted menacingly, as she rushed forward to stand before Neji with her chakra enforced fists held up to defend the attack that she knew was impending. Pale eyes widened at her proximity to danger and he sprung into action. Chakra surrounded them, swirling and buzzing protectively to form an impenetrable shield. Well muscled arms stretched out parallel to her own protectively. It had not been a moment too soon. Black flames danced outside the blue chakra which covered Neji's hands.

Sakura growled. She knew better than to think that he had tried to hurt her, but Sasuke had just attempted to maim a fellow konoha nin seemingly due to jealously or wounded pride, neither of which was a valid reason. He could have done permanent damage and perhaps he had intended to. As it stood those flames would not be going out on their own and Neji's chakra supply was not endless. "Extinguish it. Now," she demanded staring down the sharingan wielder with a threat that they both knew she could follow through on if she chose.

Reluctantly, and after considerable hesitation, the fire that creeped up Neji's shield receded. Only when the final lick of heat had been snuffed out did they relax and remove their chakra. Sakura immediately turned to get a look at her companion. He seemed perturbed but otherwise unscathed and for that she was thankful.

An orange jumpsuit found its way in-between them all. "You call that a friendly match?" Naruto growled as he shoved the taller man aside and placed his body in Sasuke's space, the snarl in his throat primal and guttural, a reminder of the beast within. "You're such an asshole," he ground out when the dark haired man made no attempt to apologise or look bashful.

Sasuke watched with rising ire as Sakura placed her hands on the ANBU captains chest in concern. "Neji, are you alright?" Her voice was fully of worry as she noticed that his keen chakra enriched vision had yet to leave Sasuke's person. The words brought her into focus once more. Pale eyes captured emerald has his hands came up to grasp her own. Silently they communicated, a conversation the other two nins were not privy to. Once she was sure he was feeling more at ease she did she look over to Sasuke.

Of the two of them, the Uchiha had come out worse for wear. It was hardly noticeable but she could just make out the start of a subtle bruise forming on Sasuke's pale skin at the start of his wrist. The Hyuuga technique was a formidable one and she would need to reopen those closed chakra points before he left. A frustrated and woeful sigh escaped her.

Only then did Neji release her hands, one of them drifting down to squeeze her arm gently before stepping around her with his hand held aloft. "I will take care of it," he stated gesturing for Sasuke to hold still. Now Sasuke understood the quiet man's hesitation from earlier. Had Neji not been able to reverse the effect of his technique, something not all Hyuugas could do and few could with such precision, it would have been Sakura who would have stepped in. While it was not such a difficult task for the man that gingerly jabbed at needle points on his ribs and arms it would have been time consuming for someone like Sakura who would have had to painstakingly search his charka system and forcibly reopen his chakra points one by one.

Task finished, Neji stepped back to where Sakura was waiting for him. Grateful, she waited for him to turn her way before giving him a small smile when their lines of sight connected. She moved to say something but she stopped when the sound of falling leaves filled the field.

A nervous chuckle filled the air. "Sorry abut that. He can be a little-" Naruto stopped short as he realized that the words he had been forming were quickly turning into an excuse, something none of them wanted to hear.

Thankfully Sakura had no qualms about speaking the truth. "He can be a jerk." There in the confines of her voice was a tone that they knew all too well but had never heard directed towards Sasuke before. She was not angry, rather very direct and to the point. It was the same tone she used when someone had caused her patience to run dry. It usually spelled an impending onslaught of punches. This time she let out a disgruntled puff and folded her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, this is why he doesn't have more friends," Naruto said, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

He was disappointed, so very disappointed. All of that effort over the last few months and this was what Sasuke had chosen to show Sakura on the day he left. It was not the sort of display that she appreciated and they all knew that. Naruto was not even sure why his friend had felt the need to assert his dominace but he knew that it had made them all uncomfortable in varying ways. He took a look around, attempting to diffuse the tension and was reminded of the time. "Shit, I should probably get back. I promised Hinata-chan I'd be home early." He clapped Neji on the shoulder soundly before racing off towards his house in a state of panic. As much as he claimed Hinata would kill him for one reason or other they all knew it to be a massive exaggeration. As he disappeared behind the sloping hill his voice reached back out to them. "You two had better get cleaned up. See you in a bit!"

Neji turned to the uneasy presence at his side. He was so used to seeing Sakura with a confident bounce in her step and a twinkle in her eyes. This apologetic and weighted version of her reminded him of when they were young and he was eager to assuage her concerns. For a moment she remianed silent, watching the grass sway around their feet and then her voice reached up for him. "Neji, I really must apologise." She knew it was foolish to try and make amends for someone else. The only person that could truly appoligise for Sasuke's uncalled for and juvenile behaviour was Sasuke. Yet she felt responsible, even somewhat ashamed that such petty foolishness had occurred. And as far as she could tell this came down to her presence. Had Neji been caught unawares or his defences not been so impeccable...

The touch of his calloussed fingers brought her thoughts to a halt, lifting her face with the utmost care to meet his own. She did not know when it happened but her fingers gripped onto the material of his shirt where the chiseled intentions of his abdomen stood taught agaisnt her knuckles. Her lips parted and her heart thumped in her ears when his warm lips dusted her forehead delicately where her seal stood out proudly on her skin. "You did nothing wrong." The deep baritone strummed on her heart stings gently soothing her into a much calmer state.

Her shoulders relaxed and she craned her neck back to view him. His tall stature blocked out the afternoon sun that threatened to blind her. The chakra that raised the veins around his temples was still present a sign that while he wished for her to be at ease, he was not yet fully prepared to be so. It was all the more reason for her to apologise on behalf of her former squad member. "Still, he won't and what he did was uncalled for."

He nodded in agreement. It had not been appropriate but he knew all too well what had brought on the outburst. "But understandable." Her pretty face turned up to his sharply with curiosity. "I do not find his position enviable. I-" Neji stopped short when a familiar presence appeared in his line of sight. The great avenger stood by expectantly waiting for Sakura. "Uchiha," he called out moving his shoulder to allow the dark visage to become visible.

Sasuke did not acknowledge Neji, choosing instead to focus his attentions on the woman that stood in a state of turbulent frustration. Frustration with Sasuke for his petulance and frustration at once again having to set aside her needs to clarify things. She really would have to make it up to Neji; people had gotten into the habit of interrupting them and she could not say she was pleased by it.

Black boots stepped forward bending a small patch of wild flowers under his feet. "Sakura," he called, the tone of his voice tinged with regret and apology, a first to Neji's mind.

Neji could see she was torn almost instantly, though he was not sure exactly why. He took a leap of faith and hoped that he would be rewarded. He leaned forward to rest his brow on hers, lingering long enough to get his point across. His heart pounded in his ears, raging against his ribcage when she leaned in, the pressure a comforting presence in his mind. "I should prepare for the party and you have much to say." He could not tell if Sakura wanted him to stay or not but he knew that she had much to discuss with the shuriken expert.

She was her own person and perfectly capable of deciding things for herself. He wanted to stay by her side, of course, but he was also aware of how that could be viewed both by her and Sasuke. He wanted her to know that he trusted her. He did not feel so insecure about their budding relationship that he would let Sasuke's presence turn him into an overbearing brute. That was not to say that he was not annoyed by Sasukes jarring reappearance. He most defiantly was. Regardless, Neji knew that ultimately the choice remained with Sakura and he would accept what ever choice she made with grace.

"I'll meet you there." Neji could see the hurt that flashed in red eyes briefly before it disappeared into impassiveness. It only compounded Neji's faith in her. As Neji turned to head home he caught a flash of understanding and resolve emanate from the Uchiha. While not exactly what he had hoped to see, for resolve was not resignation, it was a step in the right direction.

He left the training ground and headed home for a shower. Getting ready would take longer than it normally would. In addition to looking his best he would be bombarded by his family, many of whom would also be getting ready for the party. There would be a line for the bath and he intended to be at the head of it.

* * *

Neji found himself in a frenzy. His legs were racing towards his cousins home with a sense of anticipation and a speed that was almost unrivaled. He reminded himself that an ANBU captain racing though the busy streets of Konoha would not be viewed well and he forced himself to set a reasonable pace. He passed the throngs of men and women heading home from work and took a few deep breaths. He wanted to be calm but that was proving to be difficult.

As the path drew him ever closer to Hinata's home he felt a squirm in his stomach. Would she be there waiting for him with a smile? Or with tears? Or would he be waiting for her? He was not sure which would be better. The scenarios ran through his mind. Therefore when he turned the corner to the Uzumaki's street the normally over observant Hyuuga did not take in his surroundings.

"Neji," Her voice called his from his thoughts and for an instant he was breathless. She had changed, just as he had, into civilian clothes. A pretty little dark red dress to be exact, nothing too fancy, but it did fit her perfectly. It was not curve hugging has he often saw with other women; it was fitted at the waist and flared out to flood delicately around her long legs. The soft material floated around her and clung in the right places under the soft glow of the street light. She was ethereal and he did not want to forget the way her petal toned hair caressed her luminous skin or the way her eyes shone out in the impending darkness with such hope it made his heart ache longingly.

He instinctively draped his coat around her shoulders when he saw a shiver run down her spine. "You'll catch a cold." He was suddenly glad he had brought the item with him. It was not often that he chose to wear the beautiful garment. The gunmetal grey raw silk was difficult to clean, but he had decided that with the chill settling in the heavy cloth would come in use. He had been right. Each silken sleeve had the symbol of his clan carefully stitched into the material for all to see and there was also the larger variation that spread from shoulder blade to shoulder blade on the back. Just knowing it was there, seeing her draped in Hyuuga finery made him want to crow in satisfaction. It looked right on her despite the fact that it was clearly too big for her. If anything that made him appreciate the sight more.

She pulled the silken edges together and inhaled the scent it gave off deeply. "It did get chilly all of the sudden," she said gladly accepting the gesture, beaming up at him when his larger hand found hers causing the sleeves of his coat to pool around their joined hands. "Should we go in?"

The question brought his attention back to the house where he could see their friends through the windows laughing and talking animatedly. The sight was welcoming and he knew she wanted to join them. "You were waiting for me?" He had not been expecting her to wait outside. They and said they would meet at the party, yet here she was standing outside ready to make her debut with him rather than alone.

Their hands swayed slightly, a motion brought on by her tugging him towards the door. "Well I did say I would meet you here. I figured..." her words drifted off when she felt a pair of lips at her her temple. Lips parted as she took in a short gasp of air, squeezing his hand in response. For an instant they were the only two people in the world and Neji found himself enraptured by the sight of her. She was so accepting and inviting. He was about to lean down to meet her when the sound of the door nob and a loud voice interrupted him once again.

Blue eyes barely registered them, scanning over their forms briefly before moving onto the surrounding areas anxiously. "Sakura-chan where is Teme?"

The now mildly irritated kunoichi let out a huff. She had been wanting Neji to kiss her for the longest time. She should have known that if anyone was going to disrupt the moment it would have been Naruto. She could not really blame him though, they were standing in front of his house. So she answered honestly.

"I'm not sure." She and Sasuke had parted ways amicably. They would always be there for each other, she knew that, and she also knew that her bond with him would never be broken. She told him so, and also that he was not the man she wanted or needed. Whether he knew that to be true or not remained to be seen. He said he was not giving up. He would be back after his mission and he would endeavour to prove himself to her. With a resolve that she had only ever seen from him, one so pigheaded only Naruto could begin to match it, he turned and left, heading to some undisclosed destination. Having noticed the time she rushed home to have a quick shower and change, afraid Neji might get the wrong idea if he arrived before she did and found her absent.

Delicate hands pulled the large orange clad shoulders out of the way and quickly ushered them into the house. Hinata greeted them with a smile as she patted her husbands arm in consolation. "Hurry up and come in Sakura-chan, Nii-san. It's quite nippy outside."

They did so quickly, eager to join their friends. The living room was crammed with familiar faces, but all in all it was a small crowd considering the hosting couple. Temari sent her a knowing stare, one that held more sass than Hinata's but was still oddly similar, at the sight of Neji's coat draped over her shoulders.

"Look who's here," she said holding out a drink which Sakura and Neji both declined politely. The sand kunoichi had a notoriously heavy hand when it came to serving drinks, something only her long term beau seemed immune to.

"Sunshine-san," Sai greeted with his customary smile. Since getting together with Ino his expressions had become slightly more genuine but his smile still came off sacrine. The pale nin regarded the two before him curiously. "Every time I see you now you are with Ugly." The statement was accompanied by an accusatory finger pointed in the direction of the lovely lady tucked happily into his side. Had he not known about the way Sai's nicknames worked he would have been angered by the insult for her but he was too ecstatic to even think about it.

Before anyone had the chance to react Ino grabbed Sakura by the wrist and hauled her off to the drinks table, eager to hear all the news and exactly how this had all come to pass. Ino was nothing if not relentless and since witnessing Neji's display at the store had been more than curious about the events that had transpired in her absence. She also had a great deal to tell her concerning the dress they had chosen.

"My eternal rival is this true?" Lee looked on the verge of tears, but whether happy or sad no one could tell. Based on the glances the younger of Konoha's green beasts had been sending to Tenten of late Neji would have said it was joy for his friends that caused this particular pair of salty rivers to flow over rounded cheeks.

Sakura was already grabbing plastic cups for them as she spoke animatedly with Ino. Her laughter was contagious and those closest to her were laughing along with her. Her warm stare fell on his person producing the same fervour that had been in the air not but a moment before. They had been interrupted earlier but night was young. He would have plenty of time. For now he decided to drink in the sight of her smooth gait and the swing of her hips as she headed towards him.

He had never been one to cover up the truth and he did not bother to now. The artist was not looking for an acknowledgement but Lee way and Neji gave him as swift answer, just to vocalise his intentions to any close enough to hear. "Hn."

* * *

Neji looked up at the clock that was just beyond Shikamaru's hair. The party had dragged on into the night and soon they would be into the next day. He could tell most were too drunk to consider leaving while others were too excited. It seemed that for the fist time in a while most of them were completely free which meant the party would continue until the dawn light and a pile of headaches brought it to a close. Sadly he had never been much of one for such functions and they had already invaded the Uzumaki house for over five hours now. Someone had to make the first move to leave and one quick peak at Sakura told him it was most likely to be them.

She was awake and thrilled to be present, but she kept taking sidelong glances at the clock and then to Hinata. His polite cousin did appear to be tired and Sakura had already helped her take out some of the trash. More than that Hinata would not accept.

He let out a small chuckle when the itch to clean showed through a twitch of her fingers. Her eyes shot back over to him at the sound, enjoying the rare expression of his amusement. Shikamaru rolled his eyes as Chouji and Kiba lifted up their shirts in some ill conceived competition. Things would only get weirder from here on out. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, noting how her nose wrinkled in a mix of humor and amazement at their drunken antics.

"Hmmm..." She rested her hand in his as he helped her up. They made their way over to the coat rack in the hall and set about the task of finding their shoes in the mountain that had developed. Sakura had more luck than he did and so she saw to their shoes while he searched for his coat, a task that was proving harder than it should have been. With more than one or two Hyuugas in attendance his clan symbol was not the beacon it usually was. Eventually he emerged victorious sliding the garment back over diminutive shoulders where he now decided it belonged. Sakura smiled up at him in appreciation. His shoes were waiting at his feet and he slipped them on soundlessly.

Neji turned back towards the boisterous laughter that sounded from the living room and found Naruto standing with a pout. "You two are such losers leaving already. The party just started!" Naruto whined, his words slurring slightly, something that only happened for the first few seconds after he downed a large mouthful of liquor.

Hinata's face popped around the side of Naruto's broad shoulders, her cheeks rosier than usual as she waved at them. "Good night Nii-san, Saku-chan!" From the living room a round of jeers sounded when the clattering and slosh of spilled drinks made them even more raucous.

It dragged the hosts attentions back towards their remaining guests and the new sofa they both hoped would remain stain free. "Fine. See you later, yeah?" The question floated out to them even as he closed the door, less of a request and just barely shy of a demand. Either way she doubted he would remember much of what he was saying.

Without giving him a chance to drag them back into the fray the pair stepped out into the cold night air than contrasted so drastically to their leisurely afternoon in the sun. Sakura let out a laugh that bounced off of the near by houses still bemused by their friends. Her confident gale warmed his soul and he was pleased to find her clinging to both him and the coat he provided as a gust of wind carried her voice into the night sky. "I'll walk you home," he suggested taking the first steps towards her house.

The walk back to her apartment was quiet but comfortable if not a little brusque. The chill was not one he wanted her to be in for long nor did he wish to remain in the cold either. Still the walk was too quick for his liking and just as he discovered evenings before he was loath to leave her side. Her key slid into the lock and with a snap and turn the door was wide open.

Sakura stepped into the darkness over the metal plate that separated her home from the rest of the world. "Would you like to come in?" She had left the door open for him, expecting him to cross over the threshold. She was inviting him in and he was not going to disappoint her. She fiddled, unsure at his hesitation. Bright green shinning through a curtain of pink. "You know I never did thank you for seeing me home the other night."

"I was happy to help," he admitted freely. Her fingers fidgeted at the edge of his coat nervously. He was nervous too, in a way. It had been a long day, one full of surprises, and he did not wish to push her boundaries too far. This was not a sprint. They would have plenty of time to explore the possibilities of their newly expressed attraction. He had taken into account the fact that she was most likely not ready to take the next step in their budding relationship. He could understand why and would give her all the time she needed. He would even give her space if she asked for it but he hoped she did not. Either way he wanted her to know that he was not expecting anything. They would move together at a pace that suited both of them. The near by street lamp lit up her features and he suddenly felt the overwhelming need to tell her exactly how he felt. "Sakura, may I be frank with you?"

His question was met by an eager and insistent, "please."

His mouth went dry. He would not have thought days before when Naruto asked for his help that she would have been so receptive to him. Had he known the attraction was mutual he would have done this ages before. As it stood he had been so occupied with showing her how he felt he had not fully thought out how he wished to proceed with a confession. Communication was something he did not always excel at, unless he was very direct. He supposed there was no better way really, but he did not want to scare her off. So he started slowly, easing into the conversation as best he could. "I do not wish to pressure you. I want to be sure we understand one another."

Pink brows knitted briefly. Neji had always been cautious, overly so some might say, but she appreciated that in him most of the time. She had thought she was clear about where she stood but apparently not clear enough. The understanding and acceptance in his eyes told her all she needed to know. He wanted to make sure they were moving at her pace. He was willing to give her time to recover.

It was so sweet and considerate really. A radiant smile pulled at her rosy lips. There was more than one way to tell him that she did not need time. She had recovered from her broken heart and disappointment long before. Was it not about time she got to be happy? Had she not waited long enough already? Had he not waited long enough? She knew him well enough to know that the last few days had not been something he stumbled upon recently. This deep rooted affection he carried for her had not developed overnight.

Sakura knew what he was offering. She could see it in his eyes, feel it in his touch, hear it in his voice as he stood on her doorstep trying to tell her how he felt. She had only seen the start of what he had been trying to show her over the last few days.

She understood perfectly. He was offering love, devotion, respect, loyalty, passion, honesty. It was all she had ever wanted, all she had ever wanted to receive in return for giving exactly the same things, and she was reaching for him with both hands.

"What makes you think we don't?" she asked, sliding further back into the darkened doorway. Her hands tugged on his beckoning him into the warmth of her apartment even as she reached out to flip the lights on. "I want to get to know you, spend time with you. I can't do that if you're standing out in the cold all the time." Her hand reached up to cup his cheek and smiled as he pushed into her touch, kissing her palm tenderly. His eyes focused on her causing her heart to race and a warm flutter to pool in her belly. It made her brave. "If you're that worried that I don't understand, why don't you show me?" An impish, coy glint shone out in the darkness and he found that all of his concerns and inhibitions disappeared. She was inviting him into her home, into her life, and he was standing on the other side of her apartment door like a fool.

He cleared the space between them in a heartbeat and her giggle that had resounded at his promptness quickly replaced by a gasp as he stood before her completely transparent. Calloused fingers combed through pink strands on their journey to cradle her head when he leaned down. The touch of their lips was gentle initially, his unspoken question answered with the arms that wrapped around his broad shoulders and the insisted push of full lips on his. The groan that ripped through his throat was unable to fully express how he felt at having her flush against him. Strong arms flexed around her settling against the small of her back guiding her even closer. Her head titled to give him better access as his lips caressed and nipped hers with an ever increasing intensity that she matched.

Blunt nails scratched up against the base of his skull as her fingers threaded through long chocolate strands that were as silky as she imagined. His tounge flicked out demanding entrance and a moan was his reward as hers reached out to meet his own. The sound she made brought out something primal in him, a fire that he had always known was there but had never fully manifested until that moment. Hands roamed her sensuous curves seeking out more ways to bring out that reaction in her.

Sakura felt a brush of chakra at her fingertips and her eyes nearly rolled back at the jolt of pleasure that rocked through her before their fingers interlaced. His other hands trailed down her back gently pulsing his chakra against her tensketsu as she arched into him her lips never leaving him for long. That same hand trailed over her rear, lifting her up in one swift motion. Her legs wrapped around his waist, the backs of her thighs sitting on the high points of his hips.

Molten silver was like lava staring back at her in the night, two moons focused soely on her and she engrained the sight of him, fevered and hungry in her mind. She heard the door close behind them and pulled back to stare at him, panting lightly at the sensations that were coursing through her, but he did not give her much time to recover. An eager push between her shoulder blades brought them back together as he slowly and deliberately walked them back towards her bedroom.

* * *

End comments: One more chapter to go! I know! It's been fun and I hope you enjoyed this. It took me longer than I thought it would but then again this chapter is longer than it was supposed to be by about 3,000 words. I changed the rating on this fic because I decided not to push for a lemon if it did not feel natural to include one. I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone lately in that regard but I decided to leave this here for now. The next chapter I might feel differently but we shall see. As always I have no beta reader so please forgive any mistakes. Reviews are so very welcome and appreciated but please, no flames. Until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: Oh my goodness we are here at the finale! Well, probably. I might do an epilogue. We shall see. If you want an epilogue let me know and I'll do my best. If not then I'll leave it as is. In any case I am not going to prattle on anymore. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

Naruto rushed over the roof tops. Konoha was particularly bright and beautiful and he had a day off for the first time in ages. Sadly Hinata did not and would not be free until at least lunch time. It was disappointing, but he had not seen anyone outside of work in weeks. Kakashi had been kind enough to give him free time to set up his house and have the party but first thing on the following Monday morning he was required back in the kage office for his training.

It had been about three weeks or so since then. Hinata would be free later that day and thus he went in search for Sakura. He had not seen her in their free time since the party and it would be nice to spar with her. He also had it on good authority that she had not been at the hospital the night before which meant that she would be at home. Aside from wanting to see her, he had a bone to pick with her.

He had meandered into the Yamanaka flower shop to pick up a bouquet for his wife. He liked to treat Hinata when he could and it also served as a small apology for being away so often. Ino was behind the register and being old friends they chatted briefly. It did not take them long to discover that neither of them had seen Sakura outside of work for a while. Konoha's resident gossip queen had shrugged at him with a teasing countenance. He did not see what was so damned funny.

While Ino did not seem concerned, Naruto was. They had collectively lectured Sakura time and again over the bad habit she had developed. She wanted to help everyone and found it hard to say no, or leave the hospital at all. The members of Team Seven had all been seen taking Sakura home completely drained after a marathon shift at one time or another.

He was convinced that it had to do with Sasuke's near constant absence. She always worked hard with a bright smile and an enthusiasm that was contagious. For many years the only time she took an extended break was when the Uchiha was in town.

But sometime in the past year even that had failed to get her to relax.

So many times over the years he had almost marched out to whatever corner of the world Sasuke was wandering over to drag him back. There were few things that would get him to return, but seeing Sakura so overworked might be one of them. At least Naruto hoped it would, particularly as he was convinced that it was all the bastards fault really. He always stopped himself in the end. There was always the chance that Sasuke would not return and he did not want to face that possibility.

The brooding man did care, Naruto knew that, but it was hard to tell at times how far he was willing to go for Sakura. As much as Naruto wanted to think Sasuke would give the world to be with her, evidence pointed to the contrary. He hoped the man would, for it was what Sakura deserved after all she had been put through on Sasuke's behalf. It would be unfair for her to be offered less than complete loyalty and devotion, much in the same way that he was determined to reward Hinata for all of her years of waiting for him to see what had been staring him in the face for so long.

So without much thought Naruto had left to go check on his best friend after placing the bouquet in the handle of his front door. He was going to give her an earful too. She could not keep doing this to herself. She worked far too hard. He would argue that she worked harder and longer than any one else he knew, save the Hokage.

He was at her apartment in the blink of an eye, walking across the roof to her kitchen window. She left it open for any of her Team Seven members to stop by for a bite to eat or a place to crash if they needed it. It also came in handy if one of them needed to be healed in a flash and did not want to go to the hospital. That last part was really just for Kakashi who had a sever aversion to staying in a hospital. The copy nin was happy to visit others there, but did not want to step in one for his own injuries.

So Naruto slipped through the kitchen window, careful not to step on anything important or knock over any dishes as he went. He landed soundlessly on the floor and immediately went looking for some milk. There was only just enough for a cup of coffee or two, and with no fresh pot having been brewed he knew Sakura would be looking for one when she woke. He filled the machine up and flipped the switch. He had made the mistake once before of using up all her milk before her caffeine daily injection and he would not be doing that again.

He looked around. Nothing seemed out of place. There were a few stray outer clothing items near the couch and what looked like a half eaten dinner on the table but that was hardly unusual. If Sakura had been in a rush to get to sleep then she would not have put much thought into eating or cleaning after herself before she passed out for a day or so. Satisfied that nothing was seriously awry, he made his way into the hall and opened the bedroom door.

"Sakura-chan, are you alright?" He expected something to be thrown at him and when it did not he went to pull the black-out curtain open. He had hoped that a set of the miracle working curtains was part of her house warming gift. They really did block out all of the light, something she needed in order to sleep whenever she could. He had asked before where she got them but she refused to reveal her secret and much to his dismay Hinata had requested a much coveted pot set instead, which is what they had received. He would weasel it out of her one day. A sliver of light broke into the bed room as he tugged on the curtain.

"Naruto." His hand stilled as he slowly turned towards the deep baritone that growled at him from the bed. Sakura was known to be grumpy upon being woken prematurely but never did she adopt the timbre of a man in the process. Opal peered back at him in the darkness of the bedroom. For a moment Naruto was at a loss for words. Then slowly, and in rather a jumble, noise started to come out of his mouth.

Skin. All he could see was skin. And hair. And eyes.

Squeaking filled the darkened room, ricocheting back to him. He belatedly discovered that the noise was coming from him but he could not stop. It did not even occur to him to try.

Pale eyes narrowed pulling the pink haired woman into his chest. If Naruto had any doubts about what had happened he did not any more. Neji's battle worn hand was splayed across the bare expanse of Sakura's bare back, his elbow tucked into the juncture of her hip and waist allowing his forearm to rest along her spine. Despite the sheets covering a great deal, a pale slender leg stuck out from the covers and the jinchurikki could not help but gawk. Soft lips dusted Neji's strong jaw intimately. Her face was tucked into his and behind them pink and brown mingled together on the pillow. A deceptively petite hand rested dangerously low on a sheet that just barely managed to conceal a masculine hip that aligned with her more feminine curves.

He heard a shift of the silken bedding and saw Sakura blearily turn her head to see what was going on. With a gasp she clung closer to the large male that had shielded the most intimate parts of her body from prying eyes. "Naruto, get out!" she shouted, burrowing her face into Neji's broad chest.

Had there been something close to hand she might have tossed it at the shellshocked blonde. So much the better really, for she did not want to deal with the repercussions of accidentally flashing her surrogate brother. The poor man looked traumatised. His mouth hung open uncomfortably and his eyes raked back and forth over their tangled limbs, doing his best to process the new information as quickly as he could.

Then, as though all the pieces fit together at once in his mind, her words broke through and his jaw clipped shut. The hyper man did what she commanded without question but as he exited the apartment they heard him shout back. "We'll talk about this when you have clothes on!"

The slam of her front door shook the entire apartment. Neji let out a long sigh and fell back onto the bed with his lover. As quickly as the intrusion on their lazy morning happened it had disappeared again. Sakura's chest began to shake with giggles that quickly turned into full blown laughter and Neji could not help but join her.

Neither was sure why but it seemed natural to laugh at the situation. They had only just days before discussed how and when to tell Naruto. They had agreed to wait until he was not quite so slammed with work; a double date at Ichirakus would have been ideal.

Fate had other plans for them. Perhaps it was better that he find out sooner rather than later. They had been so wrapped up in each other, and he so busy, that there had been no real time to tell him about the development. It would be a shock to the system, for sure, but he would come around to the idea eventually. At least they hoped he would. "Which one of us do you think he meant?" she asked resting her chin on his chest.

His fingers brushed along her slender waist and he laid a tender kiss on the top of her cherry pink locks that were still disheveled from their eventful evening. "Me, most likely."

There was an uncharacteristic hesitation in his voice, and was that a hint of guilt she heard? She could not be sure and she knew better than to assume. Her fingers traced a slow lazy pattern on his skin in an attempt to relax both of them once more. "Did he send you to set me up with Sasuke?" she asked, green eyes searching for a pair of moons in the darkness of her bedroom. She had suspected that to be the case, but either way it mattered very little given their present circumstance. She would not change where she was nor whom she was with for the world.

The words came a short time later, deliberate and quiet, the rich rumble that she adored echoing in her ear. "He didn't say that."

Sakura had learned over the years that when Neji spoke the words he chose were often very important. "Oh?" she cooed, her curiosity piqued. "What did he say exactly?" She stretched up to kiss the soft skin under his jaw.

Neji let his worries drift away at the feel of her lips on his skin. It was hard to focus on anything other than her when she choose to shower him in affection. The tip of her finger tickled his bicep as she traced the dark edges of his ANBU tattoo. Slowly her fingers trailed down and he could not stop the groan than emanated from him. He rolled her onto her back settling between her thighs. "He asked me to make sure you were exploring all of the options," His lips roved over her skin, the words reaching her in-between a dusting of kisses that landed on any part of her he could reach before he captured her lips with his own. She shifted against him impatiently anticipating what was to come. He nipped at her lip, the curl of a confident smirk pushing along her well-tended pout suggestively. "and taking things into your own hands."

Her laughter bounced off the walls of her apartment before turning into a moan and the heated whisper of his name that he could not get enough of.

* * *

Anyone passing Ichiraku's that morning would have instinctively known to stay away. He was letting off a dark turbulent aura. The jinchurikki knew that and yet he could not seem to stop. He was slowing down business at his favorite eatery but he could not bring himself to move either. This was his safe zone, where he came to contemplate. Besides there were not many who wanted to eat ramen before lunch, a fact that Ayame had reminded her father of time and time again. Yet here they all were, each having arrived well before midday.

Despite having sat on his customary seat for hours now he was getting no further in his quest to make sense of what he had seen let alone come to terms with it.

Naruto was pissed off. And confused. Very very confused. He was really just pissed off because he was confused, but that was besides the point. Part of the problem was that he had no one to explain anything or take out some of the anger on. Well, that was not entirely true. He knew whom it was addressed towards but with Sakura naked in her room with said individual, and likely to knock his block off if he stepped within twenty paces of her apartment again this morning, he decided to hold out at Ichirakus.

Neji would know where to find him once they were both dressed. He wanted to _do_ something, anything really. It was already lunch time and he had eaten three bowls. One of them should have been there by now. He had a good idea as to what was keeping them so preoccupied and did not bother to surpress a violent shudder that ran down his spine.

A pair of feet stopping in the dirt next to his customary stool at Ichirakus belatedly turned his head. Had he been in a better mood he would have smiled, but for now he found that he could not. A curtain of black silk grazed his shoulder when she leaned in. "Naruto-kun, are you alright?" his wife asked out of concern. He probably looked as bad as he felt.

"No," he grumbled as he poked at his meal which was growing cold. It was a shame too because it was his favorite. Gramps had pulled out all the stops after noticing his foul mood but it had not managed to cheer him up. Very little would do so at this point, though if anyone could it would be the love of his life.

Hinata took the half eaten bowl of luke warm ramen into account and settled onto the stool next to him. "What happened?" she patted his back in consolation.

"Your cousin happened." He sounded angry and dejected. She knew from experience that he only took on such a tone when one of his team-mates was involved, but usually both. And if it also had something to do with Neji then that could only mean one thing really.

"Did Nii-san finally tell Sakura-chan how he feels?" There was a level of excitement in her voice that she could not hide completely and it hit him like a ton of bricks.

It took a beat to process what she said, but when he did an incredulous expression filtered through, shock and a hint of betrayal shinning in azure orbs. "You knew about this?" His accusation was half shout and half question, the volume of which startled a few passerbys.

"About his interest in Sakura-chan?" Hinata tilted her head, clearly perplexed. "Yes, for some time now."

Her admission had him sputtering for the second time that day. It was hard to comprehend what she had just said. It was easy enough to understand but the way it flowed out of her made it seem as though all of Konoha had known about it and only he had been too daft to notice. And if it was that obvious why had no one said anything? "What?" The word popped out before he had a chance to think of anything better to say. There were so many other parts of this he had questions about but thankfully she knew him better than anyone and had a decent idea as to where to begin.

Hinata tried not to wince but her husband was not known to be quiet and in typical fashion he had shouted his question. "I probably should have mentioned it but you seemed so intent on seeing her with Sasuke..." She trailed off at the further darkening of his expression, the flickering of his pupils denoting that his mind was moving much faster than his words. She waited. Eventually he would spit out what was bothering him.

"I asked him to speak to Sakura-chan about the whole Sasuke thing." With that statement out there he discovered that he could not help but feel a little betrayed. He knew they were both consenting adults and that what happened between them was a private matter. Still he had confided in Neji, and part of him was hurt. With that epihapny he was now moving through other emotions, ones that had been difficult to asses whilst all jumbled together. Aside from the betrayal, there were two emotions vying for his immediate attention. He was teetering somewhere between sorrowful and furious. With the added portion of Sakura's honor on the line he was leaning far more in the direction of furious. He was having a hard time suppressing the urge to beat the ANBU captain into a residency at the hospital, but that would involve the Hyuuga spending even more time with Sakura and possibly landing himself the the hospital ward along aside him once either of the women in his life caught wind of it. Naruto never had been fond of begin bedridden. But still, he felt the need to do something.

"Oh." Hianta blinked. She had not known about that but she was not going to let it effect how she felt about the development. In spite of what her husband seemed to think happened, she knew that there was a more likely explanation. Her Nii-san would not have agreed to setting up Sakura with another man, nor would he have intentionally lied to his dear friend. No, there was more to the story than Naruto knew or realised. She was about to tell him so, very gently, when her husband chose to continue.

"Yeah, I walked in on them this morning." Hinata clasped her hands in front of her chest in excitement, Naruto's plight momentarily forgotten with the celebratory news. Her Nii-san had finally made a move and had been as successful as she had hoped he would be. This was cause for a celebration. And just wait until her father found out. The Hyuuga clan leader had a soft spot for Sakura after all that the medic had done for their family and Konoha. He would be thrilled to find out that Neji had found such a wonderful partner. Though considering what Hanabi had asked for her assistance with it was possible they already knew what had happened. None of them willingly sought out a meeting with the council if it could be avoided. She had just been on her way to meet her father and sister when she spotted the love of her life scaring away any and all customers from his favorite restaurant.

Her exuberance calmed when she saw the look on her husbands face. He was snarling, which was never a good thing. The image of the two of lovers entwined flashed in his mind again. "I'm going to kill him."

She pulled a sharp breath in through her nose. "Now Naruto-" she reasoned, trying not to get cross.

His blonde mop shook violently, his mind still focused on the sight from earlier. It was hard to let go of. He knew Sakura was a woman and that she had needs but he preferred to think of all of his teammates as asexual even when they were in relationships, as was the case with Sai. What he witnessed earlier had rocked that view and marred the innocent vision he had of both his friends. To his mind Sakura was not to blame but someone was and he was finding it hard to get past the nagging sense of betrayal that was eating at him. "I know he's your cousin but-"

Naruto stopped mid-sentance and immediately pulled back as his normally docile wife became deadly. "No, you will not kill Ni-san." Naruto gulped at the chakra laden command that held the promise of punishment if he disobeyed. He knew better than to test that tone. His anger was quickly doused to a sizzle. He gulped and averted his eyes, a sign that like it or not he would listen to her. They sat silently for a short time but eventually her hand landed on his back once more, rubbing small circles into his skin through his jacket. "Shouldn't you give them a chance to explain?" she asked moving to stand.

He let out a huff, perpousfully avoiding her expectant stare. As much as he did not wish to admit it, she was right. She was always right and he knew it was about time that he just accepted that, but he was stubborn. Part of him wanted to just avoid the pair in an attempt to forget what he had seen. It was an odd sensation wanting to run from something. It was not in his nature, therefore he pushed that inclination away forcefully. "Maybe. My brain's gonna be scarred for life."

Hinata stepped in close running her hands through his soft blonde hair. "Think about it," she said waiting for him to acknowledge her efforts. His head did not turn but she felt the warm skin of his tan cheek as he silently demanded the physical sign of her love and patience. Hinata giggled. Her husband was stubborn to be sure, but he never turned down a kiss from his beloved no matter his mood. She felt the familiar presence of her cousin near by and decided now was as good a time as any to talk to her father about what had transpired. "I have to go. Hanabi-chan asked for my help with the council. I'll see you tonight for dinner."

As one set of foot prints exited, another set entered, making enough noise for him to notice. "Naruto."

His head shot away from the counter and up to meet the man who nimbly sat down next to him. The emotions that plagued him had not left, just diminished somewhat and he felt them course through him at the sight of the one who had caused it all. Much to his relief this time the tall ANBU captain was clothed and Sakura was no where to be seen. Thus with both powerful women conveniently away for the moment he felt it acceptable to let off a little bit of steam. "What the hell Neji!" The shout came out of instinct and he continued without checking it. He had calmed down enough to stay seated but keeping his voice down was asking too much. "I asked you to speak with her, not sleep with her!"

One dark brown brow rose elegantly. Normally such an action would have angered Naruto more but with his wife's words still in his mind and years of trust between Neji and himself he found it actually brought some semblance of normalcy. "You asked me to show her that there were other options." The calm but insistent words reached Naruto. The hokage-to-be opened his mouth to object, quickly snapping it shut again. He knew this man and Neji was many things, but a liar was not one of them.

He thought back on their conversation, scrunching up his face in the attempt to remember. He could not recall exactly what had been said, but Neji was probably right. He did not remember specifically mentioning Sasuke in his actual request nor did he remember Neji saying anything about the wandering nin. Naruto had thought that the implication would have been clear but apparently it had not been. Neji had always been quite literal, whereas he was not. It was highly possible that they had a miscommunication. What he did remember was the part that Neji had just mentioned. That rang true to his mind. "Yeah... I guess I did. But I didn't mean like that!"

Neji shook his head. He might not be happy about it now but the blonde was already calming down considerably and in a few moments all would be well. He was going to make sure of it, for it would sadden Sakura to know that Naruto was not on board with their budding relationship and he could not have that. "Regardless, I really must thank you. I owe you one." And he did. He knew that to be a cold hard fact, even if no one else saw it that way. It was true that he would have made the discovery on his own eventually, but fate worked in strange ways and there was no telling what might have occurred if Naurto had not attempted to recruit him for an ill conceived cause that blustery morning at Ichirakus.

A grumble announced exactly what the kitsune thought of such a concept as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You bet your ass you do. I'll never be able to unsee that."

Neji silently let Ayame know that he was in need of another house special which, if he knew the establishment, was already half way prepared. They knew Naruto well enough to know that plenty of prepared food was required when the man sat down. They had long since starting making his next bowl as soon has his lips touched the rim of the one sat before him. "Then perhaps you should start using the front door." Naruto could not argue with that. Suffice it to say he would not be climbing through Sakura's kitchen window anytime soon and he would wait for her to answer the damned door too. He might even knock nicely next time.

Naruto settled into his chair awkwardly, shifting from one cheek to the other until he finally turned his gaze away. The mumble that escaped him was barely audible almost as though he could hardly believe what he was saying. "... Do you love her?"

"I do." The words rang out clear as a bell into the crisp afternoon air, freely flowing from Neji's lips with a truth that Naruto could not deny.

There was just one more thing that he needed to know before he could let it go completely. He pinned down one of his oldest friends with a poignant stare. "And you're going to treat her right? I'm not going to have to beat the shit out of you?"

One of Neji's hands rested on Naruto's shoulder. The two started at each other for a short time, Neji making sure the powerful man knew exactly how serious he was about this. "You have my word."

Whether the words or the conviction, something set Naruto at ease. A broad grin full of excitement and glee settled in the twinkle of his eyes and the quirk of his lips. He was his usually self again with the added bonus of having two of his best friends in love. He could see that Neji was as serious about this relationship as he was about breaking very bone in the Hyuuga's body should Sakura end up hurt. He got the feeling he would never have to fulfil that particular promise. Neji's word was better than a guarantee in his opinion.

Finally able to relax and more than satisfied he leaned back in the stool to take in his surroundings. The whiskers on his cheeks were pulled tight and lifted, an expression that was far more suited to the man than a scowl. "Alright then. I'm happy for the two of you."

Neji closed his eyes pleased with how things had transpired and happy to have the fox back on his side once more. He should have waited, for the sound of rustling clothing signified that his companion had bent down slightly. When he opened his eyes a curious expression flitted between him and the empty bag that he had left to lean against the bar stool. "What's that for? Going on a mission?"

ANBU missions always intrigued him due to the level of confidentiality that surrounded them. He knew the elite hunter nins could not really discuss missions at all but they could usually say whether they were leaving or not. He was surprised to find Neji shaking his head. That was the ANBU issued bag. If it was not being used for a mission then Naruto did not see the point of carrying it around the city. Therefore he decided to ask. "What's it for?"

"Clothes and a tree." The statement came out so naturally that it took him a few nods to realise that what had just been said made no sense.

A tree? Naruto peaked at the bag again, positive that his old friend was joking. There was no way a tree could fit in the over the shoulder mission bag. The rapid blinking that ensued was involuntary. Today was just not a day for understanding and he was going to leave it at that. If Neji thought he could fit a tree in the bag then far be it from little old Naruto to burst his bubble. The reference to the clothing did make a bit of sense after he started to string together some unspoken facts.

The black ANBU top that Neji sported was wrinkled. His black pants were dusty from wear. Despite the fact that his hair was damp from a shower and he appeared to be well rested, the typically immaculate captain was not as well put together as usual. Naruto would not call himself astute but he did occasionally have his moments. Given how he had found Neji earlier it made sense that the pristine captain would want to retrieve some items to keep at Sakura's house. With that being said it was an awfully large bag for a spare set of clothes and a toothbrush. "What, are you moving in or something?" The snort that followed was dubious though the jesting quickly died down when the resolute set of Neji's jaw failed to move.

"Not yet." Naruto hardly knew what to make of that. Before he could get his bearing back Neji was on the move. There was much to do yet that day and he wanted to finish his tasks as quickly as possible. He slung his bag over his shoulder and set out a couple of crisp bills down on the counter.

He had already turned his back when the disoriented man called out to him in a mild state of panic. "Yet? What do you mean by yet?" There was no response. Naruto knew that he had gotten all the information he would get and decided to let it go.

It was a good thing, he reminded himself. Besides he had enough surprises for one day. He grinned, signalling that he was ready for more food. He let out a roaring command before enthusiastically falling into another bowl, knowing Neji had not gotten far yet. "Since you owe me, we're all going on a double date next Friday. Mark it down!"

* * *

Neji entered the apartment with his bag in hand. After his meeting with Naruto, he found his cousins and uncle waiting for him at the Hyuuga estate. He had known they would be there, at least that Hiashi and Hanabi would. He had requested their assistance in informing the Hyuuga council of his relationship with Sakura. Such were the rules now that it was official. A united front from the main branch had certainly aided in the meeting but a discussion with the Hyuuga council was never an easy thing. Much to his general annoyance they had kicked up a fuss about the amount of time he had been away from the compound. Despite the fact that he was not a member of the main branch the council often treated him as if he was, thus he occasionally needed to remind them that main house rules did not apply to him.

He did not have to stay in the Hyuuga compound every night, nor did he intend to. He told them as much, siting his uncles support on the matter. It did not go over well. The council was not accustomed to push back but he was surprised by the subject of their objection. He had expected just a little bit of objection over his choice of partner. Branch Hyuugas were typically expected to marry within the clan. Distant cousins and the like were encouraged to pair off when the time came. To his relief the council was thrilled with his choice of partner. They just wanted her to move into the compound.

He would not have objected to such an arrangement in theory, but it was far too soon to suggest that Sakura move into the Hyuuga estate, even if they had their own private suite as most married couples did. Her apartment was her refuge and he knew that, though his family would do their best, they would never get any true peace living there. As it stood he spent most nights at her place now with the beautiful kunoichi snuggled next to him when they drifted off.

He liked it that way and he knew she did too. That did not mean that they did not spend time in his abode; they did but with his family being as large as it was privacy was almost unheard of, in spite of everyones best intentions. Finally his uncle had put his foot down and informed the remaining family members that whilst this was an exception, it was to be allowed.

He placed his bag down on the table and pulled out the bonsai tree. Sakura had suggested bringing it over along with some clothes days prior when he had been forced to rush to the ANBU offices in the same uniform he had been wearing the day before. No one would have noticed but he did and it had bothered him. In a manner that only she could manage she had laughed and kissed his cheek, turning his scowl into a bemused quirk.

Before he knew it he was standing in her kitchen with an overnight bag filled with items he would need on a daily basis. And his bonsai tree. She would giggle when she saw it and would be pleased with herself, of that he had no doubt.

He was positively ecstatic. Things were moving faster than he would have guessed but it was progressing naturally at their pace and neither would change it. Had he not been laying down he would have fallen over when three softly spoken but earth shattering words had resonated in his heart only the night before. As it stood he had kissed her soundly and proceeded to make love to her until neither could think to move after her confession. It was how Naruto had managed to sneak up on them in the first place.

He heard a small splash from the bathroom and set down his things quickly. He had not expected Sakura to be back this early but she had been returning earlier than usual as of late, for which he was glad. Not only did they get to spend more time together but she also got the rest she needed; most of the time anyway. If there was a bath running then she had a long day and possibly an arduous surgery. He walked down the hall and into the bathroom prepared to be her point of solace and allow her to vent if needed, only to find a steaming bath ready but no Sakura.

He was about to activate his byakugan when her arms wrapped around his waist. "You're back earlier than I thought you would be," she cooed before laying a kiss on his shoulder blade. "I haven't finished setting up yet."

There was a small whine to her voice. That told him that this was not for her, but rather she was drawing him a bath. Her hands at the hem of his shirt cemented that fact as she guided him into the bathroom where she silently instructed him to strip. He knew she could see the appreciative glance he sent her way even if she only saw the start of it. She was already heading into the kitchen to grab whatever it was she had not finished in time for his arrival.

He heard her dig through the bag on the table before she called to him. "You got it!" He assumed she meant the tree and he hummed in response. Black cloth crumpled into a pile on the ground, forgotten in his haste to soak in the warm water. The steaming pool was calling his name. She had set it up for him and therefore there were bubbles and what smelled like epsom salt in the water but both were luxuries that he never bothered with himself even if he secretly enjoyed them. An extra step was the specially prepared oil that waited for her on the sink.

She returned after he had settled into the tub which was a little too small for him but felt wonderful regardless. His knees poked up through the water but the same would have been true in just about any normal sized bathtub and he was accustomed to it. She handed him a cup of hot tea and immedelty set about rubbing down his back with the oil from her perch on the edge of the tub. "How was the chat with Naruto?" she asked when his eyes closed in bliss.

The feel of her palms rubbing into his tired muscles was magnificent. His hand stroked the soft skin on the inside of her knee, the only part of her he could reach without making her self appointed task more difficult. After a particularly gruelling sparring session she had noticed how taught his shoulders were. Since then she had taken it upon herself to work out all the kinks on a regular basis. He was more than happy to let her and return the favor whenever possible. "He is happy for us."

She let a small laugh shake her shoulders. She could have guessed how it would go. In her mind, and based on what he just said, Naruto had kicked up a fuss for a moment until Neji reminded him of the events and exactly what had been discussed. Then her well meaning surrogate brother would have grumbled for a minute or two before accepting the new relationship with open arms. "Well, I'm glad you talked him around. How's that?" she asked stoking the width of his shoulders.

The guttural hum of approval that reverberated through the bathroom flowed into a single word, "Perfect." Her smile at his compliment lit up her whole face. Sakura always put her best foot forward and he enjoyed telling her how much he appreciated her and everything she did. She in turn loved hearing it. She was still dressed in her work clothes, her long legs taunting him from her vantage point at his side. With a sly smile he grabbed her hips. "Your turn."

A playful shriek and splash of water followed as he quickly hauled her into the warm water. "Neji!" she bubbled with laughter.

Normally she would have been upset at having water all over the bathroom and soaking clothes, but when he looked at her like that, full of sexy mischievousness, she could not help but melt. He waited for her to get comfortable. His lips at the shell of her ear caused her to lean back into his embrace. She vaguely recalled that the dinner she was preparing was thankfully not yet in the oven and decided to push it from her mind when his lips drifted down to her pulse point. Sakura laced their fingers together and let out a sigh that quickly turned into a light moan. He did not know it but she had made it a point to lock every window and door in the house, even the one in the kitchen over the sink. Dinner and the rest of the world could wait.

* * *

End comments: And we're done (unless you want an epilogue). I so enjoyed writing this fic and I hope you enjoyed it. I have more NejiSaku chapter fics, two to be precise. I also will be finishing up Breath of Fresh Air, but it might take a little while as it is going to be longer than originally intended. I also have a SasuSaku fic i want to get out- I know, I'm as shocked as you that it keeps happening. I might also have another GaaraSaku fic, but we shall see. I have a lot to get through and this isn't even counting my Yu Yu Hakusho fics. So keep your eyes peeled. As always I have no beta reader so please forgive any mistakes. I always go back and re-read my fics even after I have posted them to try and fix as much as I can. Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome but please no flames. And a huge thank you to all my readers and reviewers. You are the best. Until next time!


	7. Chapter 7: Epilogue

Authors Note: You asked and I am delivering. It took me while to come up with an idea but I liked this one quite a lot. Also I have no intention of using the term 'anata' in this fic. It reminds me of Sasuke when used by Sakura so I am going to avoid it. Without further ado I am going to let y'all start reading. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.

* * *

By the time Neji rolled into bed the sky was beginning to brighten into an array of pastels. Regardless, there were few things better than laying in bed after a long tiring mission and nothing was going to stop him from getting some well deserved rest. He had been gone for two months this time and he could honestly say it had been far too long away from home. No matter how long his mission stints they were always too long. He could have been gone over night and he still would have grumbled about getting back home as soon as possible. His team often commented that he had become insufferable in recent years regarding their accelerated mission pace.

Neji reached out with one hand to grab the covers and with the other snaked an arm around his wife's stomach. Pink tresses slid on the silk pillowcase as she nuzzled into the warmth of his chest. He supposed they were right. He had become ever more efficient in his missions, doing his utmost to make sure his team returned as quickly and safely as possible. And it was all to make sure he spent as little time away from home as he could. He hated being away from Sakura and, though she never said so, she worried about him constantly when he was gone.

With a sigh of relief he closed his eyes. He was already beginning to drift off when a small voice at the back of his mind reminded him that he had yet to do his ritual check of the premises. He never went to sleep without doing so. He activated his byukugan and scanned the apartment.

He nearly bolted straight out of bed.

The third chakra signature in the house took him by surprise. Pearly eyes shot open and stared, the two moons glowing in the dark of the bedroom. Silently he unfurled himself from the bedcovers. He leaned over and kissed his wife on the forehead where the symbol of her power stood out proudly. They had spoken about such an occurrence and had agreed on a protocol for this eventuality.

He tucked her in carefully, never removing his eyes from the new chakra signature. He had work to do and he suddenly found himself reinvigorated. There was nothing quite like protecting ones family to get the blood pumping. With a quick scribble on a piece of paper they kept on the bedside table for such occasions he grabbed a fresh set of clothes. With one last glance at his wife he silently swore he would be back as soon as possible. He closed the bedroom door and straightened his shoulders resolutely.

* * *

Sakura woke to the beep of her alarm clock. She buried her face back into the pillow trying to capture the fading scent of cedar and ginger. Neji had been gone for a while; two months to be specific, but he was due back any day. She inhaled deeply. Actually he was not due back for another month or so but she knew her husband. He had a habit of exceeding mission timeline expectations by leaps and bounds. He would be back well before the targeted completion date. He always was.

She rolled over lifting her hand to open the curtain. Cool rays of winter sunlight burst through the windows and nearly blinded her but Sakura had been prepared for it. Slowly she opened her eyes. She had an appointment today that she could not miss. Tsunade-shishou was expecting her at 9am sharp. Missing that appointment would result in a very irate and cranky godaime hokage, which was not good for anyone. It would be even worse for the person that got on her nerves.

Still, it was quite early. She had plenty of time to get dressed and make her way down to the research wing of the hospital. With that in mind she rolled over once more to inhale the comforting scent of her husband. Funny, she thought to herself, the scent was stronger today than it had the day before.

Her fuzzy brain took a few seconds to process that fact, her brow furrowing slowly before releasing. Her eyes shot open and she threw her covers back.

He was not there. She had known that much, but still it was odd. Normally nothing could pull him from bed the first day he was back. She looked around, moving strands of pink away from her face. The bedroom door was closed, but there was no smell of coffee in the air. The apartment was silent and when she checked for his chakra signature she found nothing. But there was a trail of clothing from the door to the bed, something he did when he was so tired he could not be bothered to find the laundry basket.

The black ops uniform was wrinkled and dirty. He was back in Konoha but not in the house. She stood and walked to the door for good measure. With a worn in creek the bedroom door revealed that the apartment was as quiet as her hazy brain had surmised it was. Her feet shuffled against the floor as she poked her head through the bathroom door then into the kitchen. Finally she stood by the front door. The house was empty, save her. He was not crumpled on the ground somewhere, passed out or dying as her frantic mind had started to assume.

His shoes were gone, a bit of dirt next to the door showing where they had been for a brief time earlier. The coffee pot was cold, yesterdays leftover brew still fridgid and untouched in the glass pot. Aside from the clothes and the speckles of dirt there was no evidence that he had ever returned.

But she knew he had.

If he had come and gone he would have left a note...

She raced back into the bedroom, making a beeline for the bedside table. Why had she not checked there first? Sure enough a hastily scribbled note told her exactly what he had been up to. Protocol B... it took a moment but soon enough realisation dawned. She rushed through her morning routine. She had to find him. Her meeting with Tsunade-shishou would just have to wait.

* * *

Tsunade drummed her fingers in agitation, the tiny red lacquer of her nails stood out abasing the dark mahogany of her desk. Sakura was late. It was an unusual occurrence to be sure. Sakura was rarely late and of the two of them Tsunade herself was far less than punctual. She had never quite managed to sink to the perpetual tardiness that plagued her scarecrow of a successor, but she was known to wander into meetings late due to a splitting hangover.

Nevertheless, she did not tolerate tardiness in others. Perhaps it was hypocritical, but in her own defense she was in high demand. Between research requests and the actual work itself, not to mention her time consuming bad habits, she never seemed to have enough time in the day. After one particularly vehement lecture on timeliness in her youth, Sakura had never left her waiting unless someones life was in the balance. For such an emergency Tsunade would make an exception. And she surely hoped that such turned out to be the case. At the moment her star pupil was fifteen minutes late.

Tsunade let out a sigh of relief when the familiar click of heels in the hall denoted an eminent arrival. As suspected a familiar rap on the door was followed by a bright pink head of hair.

The young woman spoke without taking into account who was in the room, choosing to close the door before looking her master in the eyes. "I'm so sorry Shishou! I've been looking for-" When green eyes lifted her words came to a screeching halt.

Tsunade held her hand out to the open seat next to an identical one which housed the distinct combination of broad shoulders, long brown hair, and rigid posture. "Sakura, have a seat. We've been waiting." Her voice was stern, but not as curt as she normally would have been in such situations. Still she was not a patient woman and it did not take long for Sakura to adhere to her command.

Black heels rushed over to the plush chair, gingerly taking a seat. "Koishii, I've been looking all over for you," she said, taking a hold of his waiting hand. She searched his face to make sure he was alright, something she had gotten into the habit of years before.

He squeezed her hand, entwinging their fingers naturally. "I did not mean to worry you." His deep baritone dipped down to a softened bass, a subconscious attempt to soothe her worries. Tsunade immeidetly recognized the relaxation in her student. The tension flowed out and a nervous joy bubbled under the surface of their interaction, the greeting of a couple that had been apart for too long and were dying to be alone. They had a great deal to discuss. It made Tsunade wonder what in the world they were still doing there sat in her office. Pearl moons turned back to the desk before them in determination and the godaime knew she would not have to wait too long for an explanation, or at least she hoped not. The stoic man had been sitting in front of her silently for far too long already and she had a full day ahead of her. "I thought I would get started as soon as possible," he said, and Tsuande was tempted to huff. That hardly answered her questions.

"I see," Sakura said, amazed that he had managed to get so far into their list of things to do. She had gone through the list in her head and at each turn she had been told that she had missed him. She had only come down to the office for fear that if she was much later Tsunade would squish her like a bug. It seemed a bit surreal that he had been waiting for her. She had not gotten the opportunity to tell him about her appointment. He might have seen it on the hospitals appointment book for the day, something she had told him not to check on previous occasions. A nurse may have volunteered the information, even though they should not have. She did not wish to speculate. He would shed light on what happened, just the way he always did.

"I came to book an appointment for us with Tsunade-sama. Protocol B." The last part was said with such finality and Tsunade held back a growl. She did not like being left in the dark, and right now she was the only one in the room that did not understand what on earth the two were talking about. Did the man not understand that not everyone could read his mind? Nor had everyone been privy to whatever conversations he and Sakura had.

"What the hell is protocol B?" The couple before her blinked for a moment. They had come up with base course of actions for a number of situations. The name had come in jest. After hearing Neji talk about his ANBU protocols one too many times Sakura had begun referring to their plans as such. Protocol A, their marriage, had gone off without a hitch only six months prior.

Sakura blushed under the scrutiny of her master, having forgotten that the operation in question was, in a way, an inside joke. Only she and Neji knew what they meant and, while it was not a huge leap to make, her shishou would need it to be spelled out. "Oh, well it is our plan of action for when we needed to move out of the apartment and speak to the clan about maintaining our independence. You know, for when we have a baby," she said, tentatively, almost as if she was afraid that saying it out loud might break the spell and she would find herself waking up from a wonderful dream.

One word changed everything. Suddenly the sourness in the deceptively youthful face evaporated and a longing that matched Sakuras appeared in honey colored eyes. "Baby?" Tsunade parroted with wide eyes and a smile. "You need confirmation."

The smile that threatened show was full of excitement and sheer joy, but Tsunade could tell that Sakura was holding back, waiting for her shishous word. "Officially yes, but I'm guessing you can already tell?" she queried, looking down at her flat tummy with curiosity.

He squeezed Sakura's hand, so excited he had to think of the right words to explain exactly what he had seen. The tendril of light that flickered at him from her belly earlier had not been so bright as a fully developed chakra signature, but it was steady and strong. He might not have noticed it if he had been another man, for it was a little faint to sense directly, but he could see it clear as day when he looked with his chakra laden eyes. "I saw the chakra signature when I came home last night."

"Well, let me have a look." Tsunade placed a chakra laden hand over Sakuras belly. She held a blank expression as she pulled away. Red nails planted down, her right hand on Neji's shoulder and her right on Sakuras. They were waiting but she needed to steady herself. She had not expected to be so moved. After a deep breath she began to worm the words on the tip of her tongue. "Congratulations you two." The anxious look on both of their faces melted into a mixture of surprise and excessive joy. Neji turned to his wife eyes shining and a smile on his face that Tsunade had never seen before. They needed time alone, time to celebrate and Tsunade needed time to shop. She crossed her arms under her bust and settled onto one hip. "Now get out of my office."

The command came as a small shock. "Shishou?" Sakura was surprised to find her mentor agitated. Tsunade was always telling her not to run tests or checkups on herself if she could help it. self healing was fine on the field. Self diagnose needed to be confirmed by an outside party if possible. Sure she had picked up on the symptoms of early pregnancy, and yes she had discovered the flare of new chakra in her system after doing a routine checkup when she had noticed how late her cycle was. that had been the week before. She had gone through proper Chanels and booked an appointment. Now she was being hurried out of her mentors office and for an instant she was concerned. She had thought Tsunade would be happy, thrilled even.

"I'm going to baby proof my house. And buy some things. Can't babysit if I don't have all the right stuff now can I? And I'm making you some specialized prenatal supplements." The firm hands on her hips were in opposition to the soft expression she wore. Sakura was about to reach out an hug her master but Tsunade did not give her the chance. As quickly as it had come the stillness was gone and she was back to ushering them into the hall. "Go celebrate! Shizune! Take over my roster!"

The door shut behind all of them with a resounding crack that was likely to catch all sorts of attention.

Sakura threw her head back in laughter. Poor Shizune was going to be in for a hard day without even knowing why. Tsunade was already marching out the front door, leaving her assistant behind to deal with the fall out. Sakura heard Neji chuckling next to her and when it began to die down they began to walk towards the lobby hand in hand just as they always did. "So?" her voice floated up to him, full of hope and it tugged at his heartstrings, which were already strumming continuously and loudly.

They stepped outside and Neji felt Sakura step in closer to him, an attempt to stay warm in the cool air of winter. The cold air brought a pink tinge to their cheeks and he began in the best way he knew how. As if he was giving a report on his most recent mission, he began where he had started his morning. He had nearly given his young cousin a heart attack but in the end she had been more than delighted to hear the details of his request, despite the fact that she was still in her pajamas. "Hanabi has given permission. Our baby may be raised away from the clan, just as Naruto and Hinata-samas child will be."

"So you're happy?" She asked from under a curtain of pink. She could not recall the last time she had felt shy around him, but she did now. Shy and thrilled, really. She wanted him to be happy, as happy as she was. She wanted him to be the happiest man on the planet.

He came to a halt, shocked to hear her question. Did she not know? He turned to catch the sparkles of her green eyes and realized that all she really wanted was to hear the words. In a flash he was before her, his face cradled in her hands. "I am overjoyed," he said, kissing her soundly. His was not a man that did well with words, though he tried his damndest to do so. He was much better at showing her. So he did, breaking apart only when he had run out of breath, the intensity behind his embrace all consuming. She panted when they pulled back, remaining so close that each breath felt like a shy caress. He pressed his lips to hers, as if to seal the one that had gone before.

"I know we talked about waiting..." she whispered the words pushing against his retreating kiss. A part of her was concerned. They had discussed children and they had decided together that a bit of time being married would serve them well. They were both still young. There would be plenty of time for babies in the future. However fate had stepped in and she was not sure how he would react. He never lied, therefore she knew he was genuinely ecstatic, but she wondered if a part of him was anxious.

"Sakura," he said cutting into the worried tirade that he knew was about to spill form his beloveds lips. He left a lingering kiss on the upturn of her smile. "I thought we might go look for a home with a yard."

His words reached her and she let them sink in. The apartment was the next point on the check list. "We will need the extra room," she said, thinking on it from a logical stand point.

They began to walk again her steps falling into time with his. "Hn, particularly with me in the village more." She turned to him in question, one he was all to thrilled to answer. He was quite proud of himself really. He had always thought it would be hard to let go but in truth he had been considering it whilst he was away. It was hard to be gone so often and he had no intention of leaving her for such long stints in the future. "I turned in my notice to ANBU. It was my second stop."

Sakura did not really know what to say. Sure they had a list of things to do before their baby arrived, but Neji stepping down from ANBU had never been on the table. She had not expected such a gesture. His commitment to ANBU was second only to their relationship. He had not turned in his rank when they got married and she had expected him to keep his command well into his career. It was touching, to say the least. "Koishii," she began, wanting to tell him that there was no need to give up one of his greatest achievements. She was not going to give up her position at the hospital, though she would be taking a backseat for a time. She did not expect him to either.

He turned to her the smile on his face one that she had only seen a few times whilst they were out in public. It was one he usually saved for when they were alone and he was partuclalry content. "I want to be here. Hanabi and I have already discussed it. I am to have a seat on the Hyuuga council and I will apply to become a jounin instructor for the genins next year."

"If you're sure," she stated. She would never admit it to him, though she was sure he already knew, but him being home more and having a far less dangerous job would be a weight off of her mind. He had served as the top ranked ANBU captain for so long that he had seen other captains be replaced one after the other. Not many could survive ANBU and certainly not with such grace. No one could say he had not served Konoha to the best of his abilities but it was time to let someone else take his place. It would be a blow for ANBU, but perhaps if the black ops were smart they would offer him a position which utilized his expertise. She doubted the ops would let him go completely. He was simply too good a what he did.

"I also spoke to a realtor." She wanted to laugh. He really had gotten quite far into the list.

Her much beloved apartment was wonderful for them. The little one bedroom abode had been her respite for years and then she happily shared it with the man she loved. He quickly became a part of what made her little house a home. However they both knew that children, even just one, would need more space. They had agreed that when the time came they would start looking for a bigger place to call home. The apartment had served them well, but it was time. Neji, as they agreed, had already turned in notice with their landlady.

"You really are excited, aren't you." It was not a question. She could see how jubilant he was with the news. It radiated off of him the same way it was glowing from her. When ever something was important to him he made the appropriate steps to secure it and always took action. His determination was evident and she loved the dedication he showed, both to her and the family they would build together. "Come on, I haven't eaten yet. Let's go find Naruto and Hinata. We can tell them the good news."

Neji looked into his wifes beautiful face. In years past, he would havenever guessed he would be here. He had never guessed he would be so utterly happy. This wonderful woman had made all of his dreams come true, and his love for her grew with each passing moment. He was sure that would never change. He pulled her in closer. If it was food and a mini celebration she wanted she would get it. Besides there was something he wanted her to see near the Uzumaki house. "Alright. Perhaps we can look at that house down the street from them."

Her hears perked up considerably. She would give up her sanctuary of an apartment; it was the right thing to do and they would need the space. A part of her wanted to find a way to expand their space so they could remain in the home she had chosen so many years before. It was with a bitter sweet outlook that she would close the door for the last time. But her husband knew her well. There were few places she would consider, but if it was the one she had in mind, then it would be ideal. "The one on the corner lot?"

He chuckled quietly. He knew she would have scoped out what he would argue was the best home on the block. It was fortunate that their taste were remarkably complimentary. After talking it over in the past he had realised that they both had the same set of criteria that would need to be met in order for either of them to consider leaving the apartment behind. Space, light, seclusion, a yard, and a lovely veranda would all be mandatory. There were only a few places close enough to the hospital to provide what they needed. The universe had aligned. One such property had just been put up for sale and as far as he was concerned it was as good as theirs. "With the big beech tree in the back."

She knew exactly the home he meant. The secluded little paradise around the corner from the Uzumaki household had always drawn her in. She could envision the kids training in the back yard, Neji sipping tea on the porch, and a big herb garden for her medicinal concoctions. It would be perfect, as perfect as it could be. In a few weeks the yard would be covered in snow, but come spring they would have turned it into their ideal space. And the same went for the rest of the house that was hidden behind a tall fence, but from what she could see there was plenty of space for a growing family. She did not know how he managed it, but he had the uncanny way of reading her mind at times. As much as her apartment was their home, this new place would become even more so. "Deal." She wrapped her arm around his back, settling her cheek against his chest with a smile. She let out a sigh of content at the feel of his arm pulling her in closer. They began to walk together at a relaxed pace, happy to take their time walking in the chilly weather, both looking towards the future.

* * *

End Comments: There you have it folks. What is possibly my favorite NejixSaku fic that I have created is all wrapped up. I hope you enjoyed going on this little adventure as much as I did. I do have a new NejixSaku fic out called Shadow if you want to check it out. The plan is to have a little more humor in that one. We shall see. As always I have no Beta so if you spot any mistakes please forgive me. I do my best. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated but no flames please. Until next time!


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